I’m fine.

A bold faced-lie through a bared teeth smile.
A deflection of questions from prying minds.
A set of fickle scales balanced just right.

Fine.
A damnable word.

Everything is fine when we fly through the city nights,
watching the streets transform into tarmacs before our eyes.
Everything is fine when I lie through my teeth
and offer up words I don’t even mean.

Everything is fine when the jokes
cut too close and sink too deep.

I’m fine as we speed through the nights,
blue lights flashing in our love-drunk eyes.
We got caught up in the moments and
they chase us
and corner us
and seize us
and I surrender.

Fine is the price I pay
to be careful with your feelings
and careless with mine.

I was fine,
I’m not anymore.