for the fireflies that died because of me
yesterday
on a summer night, i cried
for the fireflies that died
because of me.
six years ago
on a summer night
i caught a few fireflies
and plunged them into a bag.
i let them suffocate
until they weren’t fireflies anymore.
empty corpses descending as i threw them
out.
twelve years ago
on a summer night:
my parents, enraged
dressed me up in rags
and stuffed me in a garbage bag.
i wasn’t their daughter anymore.
they threw me
out, my corpse crunching
and crying
knowing i was empty.
on a summer night i remembered
both of these things at once
so i cried and cried
for the fireflies that died
because of me.