pomegranate art class

i want to jump off the roof of my school

and not because i want to kill myself,
but to kiss the air in the only way i know how
and feel its icy lips tearing at my skin like
piranhas clamoring for a bite

and the flavor of the air stained with gray river
water, mist from leaking cracks in the sky
washes away
breath rushing from open mouths
puckered like lies, slack from lack of caring
i’ve always hated the feeling of breath

i want to jump off the roof of my school to know
what it’s like to be free every now and again

to kiss the air the way i want to kiss pomegranate lips
in the art room on the tenth floor
van gogh print sliding clean off the wall, and

i’ve never kissed anyone, you know, at least
not because i wanted to, and they wanted to
and i don’t want to want to

but air doesn’t care if you want it
roofs won’t call you the next day but
they’ll sure as shit still be there

and i want to jump off the roof of my school because

it stands ten stories high over a gray river
and everything that falls into the river is eventually let go