JOY SPILL

Originally published through the University of California, Berkeley English Undergraduate Association on July 12th, 2022.

I can see the joy spilling

out

of

him

like blood

and vomit

coagulating onto the floor

Bursting away from damaged sores

Wild and wounded but

joy everywhere

beautiful and visceral

gut-wrenching

blinding

JOY

On                                                          all                                                          sides

flooding this desolate place and

Left before me is him

A husk

Who gave everything he had to give

Because he couldn’t help it

couldn’t keep it in

deadened down inside of 

him

cutting himself open and

Letting                                                   us                                                           have him

JOY 

JOY 

JOY 

JOY

How disgusting this is

To see happiness given with 

no consideration

and an inability to quell it.

The husk

Has left

Convenient considering 

Someone has to mop 

All of this up.