Alyssa Buckner

Come on in

Don’t mind that you can’t see the floor

I let nothing go so it all ends up blocking the door

Just push a little harder

And the door will have some give

Come sit on the bed, don’t mind the shape the frame is in

I’ve been waiting for you

And I hope you don’t mind the mess, so you’ll stay

I hope you see me with my garbage bags trying to throw it all away

Even if I start to cry

Even if the memories drain my spark

I’ll undrape the windows, so the room doesn’t seem so dark

I hope you can handle the dust

There hasn’t been fresh air in here in years

There are some old poems on the table and the hum of an old fan fills your ears

Don’t open the closet

There are people in there I’d rather not see

Because I don’t know how to kill them before they try killing me

Please don’t look at me like that

Like I’m helpless and you sympathize

I’m trying my best to clean it all, but I never learned how to minimize

Just promise me you’ll stay in one place

Don’t go rummaging through drawers

Throwing down all the things I just picked up off the floor

I just need someone here

Someone to see all the things I find

Someone who will be proud of how much clearer it is in time

I’m not expecting you to help

I just need a friendly face

Someone who will treat me kindly even in my hazardous space