Existence

There are two kinds of words.

The first type is not real. Do not let them fool you. These words are only used in waking life, during the things that happen while you’re up and around and breathing. Eating lunch, getting groceries, going to school or work or the subway station. Phrases like these

i'm hungry shut up yeah, me too try me

you’ve got to be kidding what are you doing

come on turn left still gone or else piece of shit

and if you’re careful, you realize that when you look back, none of these words leave you with memories you can taste. A smudged blur is no excuse for a memory.

The second type is real. Do not forget they exist. These are the words you don’t hear from people deemed normal, but only from your nymph-like neighbor with her mane of frizzy blonde hair and voice like wind chimes, or from the homeless man on your corner with eyes so blue you can’t help but imagine that they swallowed the sea. These are the words that spring from paper, not human lips. Words like these

articulate indelible wishes forest powerful

broken laughter faraway brilliance raw

sprite magic haughty wrinkle forever vivid treacherous soft dreams journey tragic trace glimpse thoughtful natural muse lilting hideaway freckles

and if you listen, you hear their waves crashing, wind crying, flowers blooming, crystal shattering, smoke rising, fire crackling, streams rushing, and everything real about them.