Death Plays a Quivering Chord

During the weekend, I put out a call for writing collaborations to pass the time during what’s been a fairly wet and somewhat dreary time of year. I haven’t done too many collabs (although that’s something I really wanted to change). Fortunately, I know a few good writers not only here but through my Instagram page. One of my favorites, Emily Hayes (who goes by E.R. Hayes on her insta), was eager to join forces. We wound up writing three distinct pieces, and I was thrilled to write and discuss words feedback. Her bio is short but poignant, as she states I’m just a 17 year old trying to make a positive impact on the world through my writing. I always applaud fellow young writers who want to leave their mark through words, especially when they’re as talented as Emily. You can find more of her fantastic words here Emily Hayes. This piece is the first of a three part series.

(Emily)

I take the stairs two at a time

The library is desolate, the power is out

I reach for my bag and pull out my

flashlight

It flickers (my soul flickers back)

You flicker (I remember our past)

I run my fingers up and down the spines of

Worn books with frayed edges

These books and I, we’re one in the same

Gently used and loved, then tossed aside

To gather dust

I guess I’m not enough so I take up

Residence on the highest shelf

The flashlight dies, I flicker off

Time marches on, I carry on

Your love is gone, the light is gone

(And yet I know your flashlight flickered out

a long time ago)

(Me)

Some will win, some will lose

But your forget of me

Will never be news

The agony of peeling my skin back

Watching us dance to a new morning

Now a sky always storming

And bruises with so little oxygen

They’ve gone black

Blacked out, like the night you took my heart

Blotted me out of your story

Cast from your symphony, am I ever to play

The part of your lover, your friend

Come back to make our worlds peaceful again

These tears and I, we’re one in the same

Hidden behind the collusion of wit and will

Exploding into vibrant life when we’ve

Had our fill

I guess I’m not enough to fill your glass

So I’ll remain half-full

The tears come to an end, I take a bow

Time rushes on, I sink along

Your love is gone, my sorrow is not

(And yet I know you poured out what I left inside of you a long time ago)