FREE VERSE Poem: did it hurt, by Angelica Snyder

when you fell? i asked.
a pick up line nowadays, though it’s always been stupid.

the trees shower leaves around us
like fallen stars or cherry blossom petals.

you tap your shoes to the pavement
and look into the autumn air.

we pretend it’s prettier here than it is,
that the leaves are gold and the trees silver.

it is better that way.
you touch the blood on your back

and
sigh.

we pretend it is prettier here than it
was, back then

before anyone had tumbled to earth
and dirtied it with their touch.