Tinted but Not Twine

think if you must but don’t
dandelion well enough with your spleen
venting outwards by the sadness is too much
too much curiosity by way of sleep

for you crystallize a little each day
scribbling syntax until your fingers bleed
cry if you must but don’t
goldfish alone in the peeling house
goldfish alone in ancient sleep

bang! crash! & your own heart
lies like a stone at the bottom of a well
& you know where you came from
& you know illinois
laugh if you must but don’t ever forget
what you knew when you were new to this all
new to the crush of the world