The second one was inspired by my sister using the title title phrase, hence her name in the subtitle, though she has nothing else to do with it. In a way its much like pretty much everything I write: depressing as hell and championing loneliness. Most of its from the point of view of a character I don't know very well, but there's one line that's directly out of my own existence. Also, the line "all that's good is leaving" was cribbed from a Lindsay Fuller song, but I'm pretty sure I meant it in a different way than she did. Enjoy! Comment! Etc.!
“only
lovers left alive”
love leaves her stranded
on a cold november night
she finds a club, finds a drink
finds a partner she don’t have to teach
she focuses on the patterns, lets the
night take her in its sweep
she takes the boy by the hand
the only thing he understands
is that she wants him on the dance floor
this is nothing new, a flash of heat
emotions strange, flattery flows like
perfume
the boy’s barely alive
barely legal, barely anything
but he’s a natural, his body knows the
way
she puts a finger to his lips
as if it’s a question, and he the answer
they’ll lose each other tomorrow
tonight belongs to sweat
frantic in a haze, they embrace each
other
and for some brief, undefined moment
they are the only lovers left alive
“leaving las crucas (for kathryn)”
leaving las crucas with the weight
behind me
liquor bottles in the backseat, belly
full up
red eyes focused on the rearview
as if something is bound to give chase
maybe if i keep my foot on the pedal i won’t collapse
anywhere you go, you’re moving forward
never know what you’re leaving until it’s
gone
when i think about the bad days
i
want to make the ones coming worse
i would break my back for salvation, but
i’d only fuck things up again
endless chances brought about by endless
cans of oblivion
i found my way past you, now i can’t find
my way back
I never think about what i’m giving up
until i’ve bartered it away
prayers were answered, but
i didn’t realize until i had shit on the
results
don’t know what city i’ll leave next
all that’s good is leaving
i can’t escape myself, the ruins
behind me, they pace my memories
no such thing as safety in numbers
the only sure thing is staying alone and
focused ahead
