a jaded kind of beautiful

You and I went up the hill

        and built our dreams on wooden swings
        and found ourselves indulged in lights
        of our eyes, wrecked fires, the city
        and learned the truth – “what’s yours is mine”

to fetch a pail of water

        of innocence’s drowned down being
        naive things in buckets we spilled
        we played with whiskey and the rain
        and learned the truth – “we’re never safe”

You fell down and broke your crown

        we danced in wisps of smoke and leaves
        in fall, we fell than just downhill
        I fell for you unknowingly
        and winter’s truth – “you fell for me”

and I came tumbling after

        but never the world seemed to mind
        that Jack and Jill lost who they were
        lost everything they’ve known and learned
        not through hills but through each other