august 1st 2027

i hope you know that one night

during the summer break before sophomore year

when your incomplete reading sits on your nightstand

and your skin still itches from playing in the long grass past sunset

and you're warm all over feeling the remnants of the sun bathe you 

and you're trying to fall asleep but your heart is still beating fast from all those games of tag

that as you doze off to those trains chugging along the track outside your house

the one by the park dad used to take us to

i will have stood in front of them for only a moment

and that the scrutiny of the shining lights ended as soon as it began

and that i didn't hurt, not for very long

im okay,

im happy now and you should be too

please

just know i tried