dont breathe dont eat dont fall asleep . dont cry dont laugh dont smash the guitar . dont wake up with eyes puffy dont make senseless phone calls house calls prank calls just call . dont run out of tissue dont replace boxes dont throw wet blops dont ball them up dont clear the rubbish chute . dont paint pastel dont wear sweet colours dont stare in the mirror dont smear on sirens . dont sing dont dance dont skip around in joy . dont walk dont talk dont walk the talk . dont jump dont crap dont do anything

look in the mirror see your reflection are you sure what you see is what you are . are you sure you are what you think you are tough mettle softie crap or just a xena warrior wannabe . hard hearted or cold . or numb or slashed or hurt or wounded or scarred or pained or can you not find it anymore

blue eyeshadow a smear of the sky green contours frame the eyes a ghoulish hue black mascara black eyeliner smudged by salty tears black trails down the cheeks peach blusher red blusher pink blusher what difference does it make where are the apples of your cheeks

turn in profile lips obscured by a rub of cappucino brown open them close them dont put any glossy tint

crumble please into a mass of messy chiffon in swirls of blue and green and turquoise and clashing red and yellow and black black black please to outline your melancholy

let down your hair let them tumble down into a veil of velvet chocolate over your shoulders over your arms stop crying stop smudging stop smearing a happy smile

pin a butterfly to the board, please, watch it writhe and watch it flutter and watch it decline into stillness.