Your Death Brings Me Peace
Selah Shaeffer
It seems fitting
To do this here
Surrounded by the trees
I found comfort in my youth
The youth you polluted
An old stump of a tree cut down
Anarchy and peace carved into it
On top of peace was a trillium
Placed here for some reason
This reason maybe
On top of peace is where I burn you
You won’t burn
You’re trying to stick with me
After all these years
Almost ten if I’m right
But I’m going to burn you
Burn anything left of you too
You won’t catch
Just a few embers nothing more
A stolen lighter working over time
Thumbs a little singed from the effort
You want to stay attached to me
I’m not going to let that happen
I’m determined for you to burn
You catch
A single timid flame
Growing stronger by the minute
Burning you to the fucking ground
I stomp and grind out your ashes
You’re not causing anymore destruction And I lay a single flower on top of your demise A grave for you and me
A version of me dead with you
It seems fitting
A trillium was placed on peace
It represents recovery
Recovered from all your devastation
It seems fitting
For the trees to hold you now
They’ll take your ashes and
Grow new life from your death
To do this here
Surrounded by the trees
I found comfort in my youth
The youth you polluted
An old stump of a tree cut down
Anarchy and peace carved into it
On top of peace was a trillium
Placed here for some reason
This reason maybe
On top of peace is where I burn you
You won’t burn
You’re trying to stick with me
After all these years
Almost ten if I’m right
But I’m going to burn you
Burn anything left of you too
You won’t catch
Just a few embers nothing more
A stolen lighter working over time
Thumbs a little singed from the effort
You want to stay attached to me
I’m not going to let that happen
I’m determined for you to burn
You catch
A single timid flame
Growing stronger by the minute
Burning you to the fucking ground
I stomp and grind out your ashes
You’re not causing anymore destruction And I lay a single flower on top of your demise A grave for you and me
A version of me dead with you
It seems fitting
A trillium was placed on peace
It represents recovery
Recovered from all your devastation
It seems fitting
For the trees to hold you now
They’ll take your ashes and
Grow new life from your death
Selah Shaeffer is a senior at Cal Poly Humboldt and has a deep love and appreciation for poetry. She spends most of her time with her cat Chickpea and loves to bake sweet treats.
