Jacob Lee
Peggy Baldwin
A strange feeling, looking at the sky
As if through the cheap, broken blinds
Of a household with too many cats
And too few windows

All of whom wish to see outside
And dream of the feral freedoms they once had
Annihilating plastic that to them means nothing
All to relive a world they don’t remember

A strange feeling, when you realize
The sky brings rain as well as the sun
You could see from a distance
An occasional glance to confirm

Assumptions from only a partial picture
Disconnected from them, now, you, too, are feral
As you dreamed to be; locked out in the rain
Aching joints from the change in pressure

Alone, you’ll see the sun again

A piece of you I will never see
It's a strange feeling
A piece of me I will never show
It's a strange feeling

Barely room to breathe. Underneath it all

Waterless river
Still skipping stones
Flows all the same
Before sinking below

Faceless friend
Stream of consciousness
Ambience fills the room
Atmosphere thickens

There’s a taste in my mouth
And an ache in my throat
Metallic and throbbing
Emotion rubbed raw

Vibrations from the slightest touch
The softest niche
Souls spread black on paper
Accent for a one language

I used to think I’d known loneliness until the day I truly did

Barely room to breathe
Underneath it all

Barely room to breathe
Artificial
Underneath it all
Nothing left
Barely room to breathe
Waters red
Underneath it all
Escape
Alone, you will see the sun again
And relish in the idea that your light is no longer artificial

A piece of you I will never see
It's a strange feeling
A piece of me I will never show
It's a strange feeling

Barely room to breathe. Underneath it all