If Only I Could

See The Other Side

when I was young someone once whispered

“the dead are just asleep,”

i wish they wouldn’t have lied to me

sleep closely resembles death, but they aren’t one and the same

a sleeping person always awakens when it’s time

dead people don’t rise from the grave.

they don’t say good morning or kiss you goodnight

they don’t put notes on your lunches when you go off to school

they don’t dance in the kitchen at three in the morning

they don’t eat cookie dough even when you’re not supposed to

they don’t tease you about the boy you’ve crushed on since sixth grade

they don’t stay up late to watch horror movie marathons with you

they don’t help you with your homework when you’re stuck

they don’t pick out embarrassing prom dresses to make you smile

they don’t sing your favorite song on you wedding days

they don’t wake up when you have nightmares

DEAD. PEOPLE. NEVER. WAKE. UP.

they don’t wake up when you ask them to

All dead people are deaf, I think.

She never heard me, never responded.

So all dead people must be deaf.