I walk these cobbled closes
And pathways paved with memories
That wear down with every step,
Pacing day after day,
Trying to remember and forget
The stories that haunt these streets.
I curse the ground beneath my feet
I curse the will that keeps me walking
Through constant pain.
I struggle to hear myself talking
And curse the rain and its echoes
That sound like mocking applause.
I think back to everyone I’ve lost
And finally accept
I’m not cut out to be a tour guide.
© Emilie C. Black, 2020