Bandaid on his chin when biking fast, roll over a speedbump, didn’t see a sign up
Wing tips synced and flapping, birds in an updraft
Image of an arrowhead in the clouds
What could be the bullseye they’re aimed at?
Thinks the kid before he misses his warning
That his time is running out
There’s a kettle on the stove that’s shrill and whistling in the, whistling in the house
Antiseptic on the face, quick fizzes stings, infection risk has gone away
Later looking at this place in life as tricky, such an ordinary place
Yet so fragile and so prone to cuts and bruises that are sure to wash away
In the grander scheme but now seem end of days

When the day breaks
Only catch that part of memory
That you can without much digging
Barely skim it off the surface

When the day breaks
Only catch that part of memory
That you can without much digging
Barely skim it off the surface

Rattle of the aspirin in his bag
Riding under rays of blaring sunlight
On his neck is pressed the tag
That he’s well aware is flapped outside his shirt
And so his arm goes back to grab
And pluck the fabric when he rolls right past a stop sign
Where a Honda has to veer out of the way
So that it leaves him safe, unscathed
And still in tact but on the steering wheels a bag
Where every inch is taught before it starts deflating
Smothered face in broken mirror
New Fjallraven hits the pavement, orange pills scatter
Sees a neighbor leave her house
Call an ambulance and down the street rings sirens
Yellow tape is spread around
Leaning person open mouth beneath a sheet raised on a gurnee
Not a pound inside his chest
Scissors probably would’ve been the better option
But he chose to use his hand
Thinking hard about his day and what made him deserve it

When the day breaks
Only catch that part of memory
That you can without much digging
Barely skim it off the surface
When the day breaks
Only catch that part of memory
That you can without much digging
Barely skim it off the surface

And it’s past six when the sun sets
When at night time comes the rush
Of a darkness, no one’s with him
He’s the last kid on the bus
Back to school now, Fall is coming
All the sudden there’s no moon

It is raining with no windchill
Flick of cold drops, day is ruined
There are cop cars with their lights off
Catatonic, standing there
Mouth is open, he’s ignoring awful weather
Socks and shoes, they are soaked now
On the drenched grass
In his ears an endless ring
Not a frown, no sign of anger
Not a sign of anything

When the day breaks
Only catch that part of memory
That you can without much digging
Barely skim it off the surface
When the day breaks
Only catch that part of memory
That you can without much digging
Barely scrape it off the surface