The Day We Dug Our Graves

We looked so brave with our shovels thrown over our shoulders

Marching side by side to the gravel pit

We dug in real good, tightening our grips on the wooden handles

I had splinters up to my elbow

And a creased smile played on my face

I was wrinkled and stingy

I fought off the tiredness like a bat fights off the sunshine

I wrestled and grappled, digging and digging

I poured my blood into that soil until there was none left to give

And then I fell into my own hole

Fell into my own grave

I dug it myself; I was determined to use it

It was cozy, the dark soil filling my lungs

I labored my breathing tense

I cried salt that turned to mud

I closed my eyes and the sunlight filtered down

It didn't hurt so much as I thought it would

The darkness took over and crawled into my heart

It sat there like a stone in a patch of grass

Waiting for someone to trip over it

No one did