They come with you when you go

By Alicia Turner

Illustration by Isabella Mac Giolla Ri

the ceiling is bright and then dark // my nails aren’t sharp anymore // numbers are obsolete // dandelions grow back // home is always wavering // between // the sunflower seeds // every inch of the room is gold // sometimes I feel sorry for myself // can’t scratch the itch // can’t follow the pattern of the past // can’t walk and talk // can’t stop the clock from ticking // I dyed my hair purple today // purple is one of my least-favorite colors // he is my deepest end of the swimming pool // and I do not know how to swim