13,000 DAYS

Hidden beneath the masquerade 
Of 13,000 days,
I threw endless fractured heartbeats 
Into the abyss of time.

Forgotten and neglected,
Rusted and unused,
My soul dripped thirsty petals
Into every hollow footprint.

Every breath a final death rattle repeated,
Lost and empty, purposeless in its futility.
And then you.

You do not see the masks
I cower from the world behind.
You count each single beat.
You gather every petal, collect them in your arms
As you walk beside me,
Matching every step.
You name each breath, give it meaning,
The first inhale of newborn lungs.

You are my mother, lover,
Sister, child,
Giving me life,
And every day
A purpose.