farthest.

Farther.

Imagine the farthest place you
think you can.
You’re not there.
Farther. Think farther.

Farther than lost
farther than never
farther than dead.

That’s where you are.
Farther.

It’s not lonely when you’re farther
but you’re alone.
It’s not cold when you’re farther
but you shiver.
It’s not bad when you’re farther
but somewhere else seems better.

You’re a face in a frame,
trapped in a locket,
printed in the paper,
you’re put in the ground.
You’re all of a sudden
would’ves and could’ves
I’m sorries
and under the stars.
You’re farther.
than ever.

You’re so far
that the eyes in the back of your head
can’t see the tears they are crying,
so far that tears don’t
exist any more.
You’re farther away than a voice can
call, and even prayer can’t reach you.
You’re far enough to know
there’s no coming back,
and still near enough to hope
you can.

Farther doesn’t get any nearer.
Not even with a map,
or a Bible. And even if you tried
moving nearer you would have gone
farther. Anyways, you might not want
to be nearer.

It’s lonely when you’re nearer
because you feel a space.
And it’s cold when you’re nearer
because warm is colder than before.
It’s bad when you’re nearer
because you remember farther.

Telephones don’t operate between
farther and nearer. And they say nothing
can. With you so far, all I want is
you near,
nearer than ground and gravity
nearer than skin on bones
nearer rather than farther.