The Purpose Of Denial

Close your frightened eyes
if you’re on fire;
you’ll still burn
but you’ll be able to pretend
you’re not damaged
for a little while.

Close your burned eyes
if you are blind;
you’ll have
a moment of hope
that a miracle may happen
once you open them again.

Close your lying eyes
before you dig them out
with your bare hands
and imagine that they are gems
you did not expect to ever hold
in your ruined hands in this life;

then put them in your pockets
and pray they’ll be able to see
in that darkness you carry around
in there all the time,
in the emptiness once meant to hold
valuable things.