If only pain would leave the soul through the skin on my fingertips, onto the keys of the computer, tap tap tap.., becoming meaningless words of poetry and remain that way. 

*

It seems that I no longer lose sleep the way I did the first time around, though I do awake earlier. I would wonder about your morning routine, confirming that with your last traces on WhatsApp. I couldn’t bear to bury your words to me in the archives just yet. 

Do not mistake my kindness for weakness

if we must
both
be right.
we will
lose
each other. 

- Nayyirah Waheed