i understand
the shade that kept us in the dark
the hooded devil that tagged our skins with tattoos
walking dead, submerged bodies dug out from the ground
chasing after darkness to consume us
the air failed us
the smog that suffocated our lungs
the cloud of noise inside our minds
we beckoned to lift our souls
for we have been walking down the pavements
as the brick collapsed at our fight
we smiled because we were asked to smile
we spoke because they said they’ll listen
chanting our hymns
yet there was nothing of us at least
the sinking of the heaven’s hand held us down
the hell pulled us to the pit
as we dug through the wreckage
change the gear, bridge the gap, and toss us a raft

© jacob greb — from lovers’ tiff: a ballad