Rubber Stoppers

Guitars strum in the background.
as she twirls the soap suds in the tub.
Poke- one, two. Pop.
It seems those stoppers,
made of rubber, wont block that running water.

She steps out, towel dry,
to find paragraphs of goodbyes
plastered to their walls for the world to see.
For she once said she felt like writing.
He once replied "Write the world."
She knew what he meant,
at least back then,
but she hated what was true.
He was so slowly becoming far and too few.

"I bite my nails when the flashes come flooding"
"But nothing will hurt you" he calmly replied.
She knew it was silly but what could she do?
Cause she heard once.
Yeah, they told her once.
But her ears were too clogged for their cold warnings.

She tried to buy bottles of what she could not cry
but nothing came out for the world to see.
So she’ll end up running, ‘til the last drops drip.
‘cause he’ll say his warm words and scales of truth
that when the time comes, yes,
when the time comes,
Stoppers,
made of rubber,
wont block that running water.

Spent

The salesman once bartered
“Thirty-two Thousand dollars for a new life?”
I bought it.
He described the growth and the change
“New fangled rooms” he said, “New friends and fun learning.”
I bought it.

Who knew that the waiting would make it feel so overrated
And I, so overcharged.

The salesman once bartered and I once listened
But all I have is an empty stoop
And a kink in my neck from saying goodbye.

They told me I would like it.
“You’ll like it, you will!”
I bought it.
They told me it’s worth the work.
They told me. They did.

But I stand here at the curb
The smell of corn whisking me back.
“Don’t forget a coat.” I repeat to myself.

Who knew the waiting would make it feel so overrated
And I,
so overcharged.