we say our farewells at midnight by Cailey Tin (14, Asia)

Strike at the dead of night 
The apex of twenty-four hours 
This town will sink as you smile 
like a dimple would do 
Eyelids rise and fall 
with tears, but our chests stay put; ​

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we’re soulless, sordid 
monsters strike above the ribs 
of our ignoble pastures 
there is zero heart to be found 
at the zero hour of night 
the recoiling of blood, vessels, sky black 
Strike while we wait, unconsciously 
for the sun to emit its distaste upon us 
again Soon, we’ll eye ourselves 
six feet underground, coughing 
parted from our chests 
This affliction will soothe our lungs– 
the fire assures us with its twinging, 
throttling we are human once more 
surge of relief, a brief pause, then gone 
Our town scorned to its thorax 
where we possess no heart at all

Nighttime once promised me joy 
for eternity, but if promises were kept 
we wouldn’t be smelling 
of cut-rate smoke 
while the rich stand in peace 
as the zero hour ticks on 
we bid good night, “see you again” 
instead of goodbye 
It’s carved into our tongues 
“goodbye” evacuates our shacks, the leaky 
roofs you set ablaze, going untranslated 
At midnight, strike us 
we’re ecstatic to see you again.
Soulless sordid 
to forever decay 
                             to forever drift 
Laying here is a corpse, tanned
by my epidermis; peer inside
the scales, peeling skin, redness
then survey how the throbbing
pain leisurely dwindles 
to ash, under the midnight moon
agony, relief, brief pause 
clock chimes, then it decays, drifts
before turning into a shield of fire.

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Cailey Tin is a 14-year-old Asia-based staff writer and podcast co-host at The Incandescent Review. Her work has been recognized by Spillwords Press and published in Fairfield Scribes, Gypsophila zine, Alien Magazine, and more, under the pen name Cailey Tarriane. Visit her Instagram @itscaileynotkylie.