On My Sleeve.

Night before the first day of school, the end of soft warm grass underneath your dirty feet, the end of greeting dawn before going to sleep, of life without restraint. Order restored, schedules in ink and always knowing what's around the bend.

Stability has snuck up on you, you are not unaware. Little steps toward the expected, toward the straight and wide, they are so happy for you because it makes sense to them, there's a label for that box. You thought there'd be more kicking and screaming.

I miss New York. This town is dragging me down, it extinguishes my fire, I get too tired to fight. I see normalcy creep up, like a soft lullaby, like ether, how comfortable to rest in its hypothermic blanket, I am too tired to fight. There was another me, once, do you remember? Can you see her?

I go to bed early, set my alarm. My demons sleep soundly. Their job is being done for them.