Venice

forever lost in it.

Poet’s Note:

I revisit it all the time. every day, night and in dreams. time has stopped moving ever since you left, and I’ve locked myself in this house. it feels like I’m stuck in an infinite, endless loop that brings me back to the same place. back to you. it forces me to second-guess everything that I’ve known. the delicate lining of our memories and the bitter aftertaste of reality. and I wonder what it does to you.

---

do you go back
to Venice
every now and never

and reminisce
how the velvet stitched
the withers.

Does the love last longer
if it never reveled,
in the silhouette
that masked
our fractures.

A salt
bit into the fabric
and rekindled
the mercurial
of our memories.

was I yours
before
the blue hour
settled?

before
the voltage
of my skin
exhaled
through yours.

was I
to name,
too much
too soon,
the ephemeral of
all those
late nights in june?

Does it steal your safe
when you think of it
how the plague ends question
and bares retreat.

The winter springs
took over
like cold war.

how pretty, the weather
seen under these frozen streetlights.

I haven’t set foot
outside
this cage,
In ages.

I’m terrified
of running into
you.
again.

the ivory of my eyes
stains everything pure
the saddest of them
revulse
into seeing you,
happy, and cured.

A brave love,
for
a craven lover.

I wasn’t ready,
to lose you,
and birth a stranger.

I replace the vase
every Sunday now
with livelier flowers.
and it’ll take me forever
to pick out the ones that died.

I travel back down,
to Venice
every now and forever.

I revisit the reckless breakage
that might’ve always stood bigger
than me and you.

I go to every corner,
of every street
every house marked in fidelity,
chanting breathless,
‘unforgivable!’ as
the cacophony of a kiss
Its melodies in my lips
sink too far
into my cold-stoned heart,

and revoke
my
breath
from oblivion.

---

Thank you for reading. I wrote this poem from a place of confusion and stagnation. letting it out feels like an… exhale. If any of this resonates with you, please let me know. I always love to hear from you, beautiful people!

If you wish to hear more from me, you’re welcome to stay and subscribe. This is my newsletter called “The Scents of Lily” Like most people, I also struggle with being consistent in my writing, but I’ll be forced to write again as soon as something won’t stay quiet. Til’ then, keep living and treating yourself with kindness!

With love,

Lily.