Belonging

The grandeur of the pursuit, shattered

Broke like the chandelier you fell from.

I admire the glittering glass that embedded itself into your skin

Fracturing the light in your eyes; gifting you pain with each smile.

Belonging, I go onward

I try to get to the other side of the staircase

But find myself heading down instead

Because I don't know which way is up anymore.

The blood rushes to my cheeks and I am reminded

Of the slow-motion gliding that occured

When the weight of your desperation gripped too tight onto diamonds

And they gave up on you.

Away you went -

Climbing the flights of stairs I thought I had left behind.

Mirror images; you and I

The unspoken promises to keep our distance

Forgotten because you were drowning.

I hadn't taught you how it feels

The cold; how it shocked you.

The dark; how it scared you.

I had grown accustomed to the underside of the staircase

Taking the shadowed chess pieces

Contrasting at every right-angle rule.

I thought I knew myself, but the shine in the dark tiles reminds me

Of your complements

Once, I would've shackled myself to that chandelier

And paid my worth in diamonds to keep it there.

However; I find my glittered skin prettier now.

Since I went the whole way underwater,

The pressure points at my wrists, ankles, neck

Do not feel it anymore.

My blood warm and inviting

Yours still adjusting

Maybe it isn't as sweet as it seems on the other side of the framed glass

Maybe the angels at the bottom of the lake are lonely

And only healed my wings because they wanted me to stay.

I would've done the same for them -

But my focus is on the climb.

Belonging.