forget me not

lift aside

photos of faces

once kindred

blurred by time

and broken hearts;

dig deeper

past the bruises and marks

of knowing pain,

past the scars

wrought by grief;

go beyond

the cat-scans and IV poles

and empty bottles

that hold only dust

and the metallic memory

of applesauce

tainted by blood;

move past

the scaled silver

that never shone

anyway

just meant to

show you off

like a prized

trophy;

keep going.

don't stop

when you reach

the silent screams

of a six year old

and the gathered tears

fallen from

mourning a future

that she will never know,

and you will reach

the bottom

of the chest

and you will grope

endlessly

finding nothing

but emptiness

where there

should have been

a childhood

that never

stood a chance

to be lived.