<div id="first-passage"> I’ve been cleaning my old room Not much else to do I haven’t cleaned in years It’s still hard to open these boxes, I think It sounds simple until it isn’t Unopened things Stored away things Unsettling things There’s a lot of process in my heart as I see old things Toys, figurines, pencils, receipts Each thing holding a moment I barely remember now And yet I still don’t throw it out I feel like I’m saying hello to my old selves A different stage in a different box Collecting dust in the corner of my room Hi everyone, it’s been a while <video width="92" height="310" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qsmh6IvN1vpl8nc.mp4"/> </video> <div> <div id="second-passage"> [[Look at what's around you]] <div>I don’t know any of you anymore There’s pictures of us at a park At the metro too And us hanging out in my room It’s bringing me back to old times We made floor plans of our future house Where we promised to live together And be friends forever And now we don’t talk And I honestly don’t mind I thought it’d hurt more to be frank Maybe this is a sign of age I feel weird about throwing the photos out I don’t know if I should destroy them I’ll keep you in a box I guess And never look at you again <video width="310" height="199" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qs9kRZuL1vwqg9v_720.mp4" /> </video>I look at this and I laugh a bit I forgot how much you didn’t care about me And how bad you were at gift giving This is just a reminder The Front Bottoms? Car Seat Headrest? You know I hate these bands What were you thinking The crudely drawn pictures of ghosts on the cover And the lie on the front that says “I love you bamboo!!” You didn’t even bother to get printer paper Just lined paper ripped from your notebook I don’t know why this birthday gift is so funny to me I’m still upset at you for ruining my high school life But now I can only giggle at this terrible memory of you Into the trash you go, Blondie <video width="310" height="199" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qsoheqtU1vpl8nc_720.mp4" /> </video>This first folder is aged This bright red manila This thing filled with small pictures This young me I’d long forgotten There’s me in the classroom There’s me at age 5 There’s stickers on my photos There’s drawings I don’t remember The second folder is new The folder is untouched The pages inside are stacked thick The me from a few years ago I erased And there’s doctor’s handwriting And there’s therapy notes And there’s diagnoses And there’s prescriptions <video width="310" height="199" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qs5fKuqB1vwqg9v_720.mp4" /> </video>Buttons are gone A permanent scent Gray knit An outdated company Inherited, taken It was his favorite We usually burn dead people’s clothes but I couldn’t let go Went to school after the funeral With his cardigan Strangers gave their regards “Sorry for your loss” Still in good condition Still smells like him Still wear it a lot Still keeping it <video width="310" height="199" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qs2qsIWL1vwqg9v_720.mp4" /> </video>I haven’t gone to church in a long time God’s house makes me uncomfortable The guy isn’t really what I believe in but I can’t run from what I was born into I do believe in something else though My ancestors believed in Mother Earth And I want to carry those beliefs This jar of dead flowers is a reminder Light a candle, burn the buds Let the smoke eat the thoughts in your head Crackle, pop, fizzle Who do you want to hope for today? Jar of dead flowers from places all over Chamomile heads, rose petals, hyacinth buds Dried and dead, gifted and stolen, waiting for the flame I’ll need her for years to come <video width="250" height="250" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qrxij7rX1vwqg9v_720.mp4" /> </video><div id="first-passage"> [[Polaroid Photos]] [[Gray Cardigan]] [[The CD]] [[Old Folders]] [[Friends]] [[Dead Flowers]] [[Unknowns]] [[Report Card]] <div> <div id="second-passage"> [[I finished]] <div>June 15th, 12th grade, school ended Fuck, what am i going to do? How’d I mess up that bad? I’m going to get in trouble again. Can’t risk losing my phone again. Shove it in the drawer. Doesn’t exist now. Gone. Never came. March 25th, college now, stuck at home Fuck, what am I going to do? How’d I mess up that bad? I’m going to get in trouble. Can’t risk losing my phone. I can’t shove it in the drawer. It’s here and I don’t know where to put it. But does it matter anymore? Me barely passing back then? 1.5 GPA in high school? Jesus, how did I even get into college? Shove it in a box now. Doesn’t exist now. Gone. Never came. <video width="310" height="170" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qsbeOpy91vwqg9v.mp4" /> </video>My boys have never failed me These pals of mine are loyal and honest My buddies since the beginning My old friends, my beanie babies My boys have seen a lot These pals of mine, they’re safe in their room My buddies since the beginning My old friends, I won’t leave you My boys have aged with time These pals of mine with marks and tears My buddies since the beginning My old friends, old indeed My boys, don’t worry just yet These pals of mine will not leave me My buddies, no goodbyes yet My old friends, my beanie babies <video width="322" height="250" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qs18PjYT1vwqg9v_720.mp4" /> </video>Small pencils, dead pens, hair ties, loose receipts Every drawer Every surface Every container and bag Small pencils, dead pens, hair ties, loose receipts All sizes and colors All kinds of brands All forgotten with time Small pencils, dead pens, hair ties, loose receipts I think I can still use this I think I should keep this I think I’ll put it away Small pencils, dead pens, hair ties, loose receipts You’re not even useful You’re just deadweight You’re still coming with me You’re following me forever <video width="250" height="250" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qs7qumPu1vwqg9v_720.mp4" /> </video><div id="first-passage"> <video width="500" height="500" autoplay loop muted playsinline> <source src="https://ve.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_q9qsjuhkhH1vpl8nc_720.mp4" /> </video> It’s done now. It’s actually done now. It’s empty now. It’s not my room now. There’s marks on the wall still. Tape from poster, weird mystery scuffs The time that I hit my head really hard, It’s stuck here forever. This place where I grew is going to be an office now. Somewhere dad can do his work. I know he’ll never actually use it but It’ll be a useful room now. It’s done now, I’m moving to my brother’s old room. It’s actually done now, even this small change was important. It’s empty now, and I can fill up a new space with better things. It’s not my room now, it’s finally not my room now. <div>