White Noise

It’s my turn
I step into a room, a dull white
I watch my brother on that bed
one channel then another
wires drape from his arm
I know white, we
know white, but not this shade
the white of our porch in the night
illuminating the grass it stood from
we run, chasing little sparkles
our hands becoming cages
for those tiny bugs of glow
the white of innocent and ignorance
From that bed
he turns his head looking up at me
I catch a glimpse of that white
The yellow would fly from our palms
Watching as they shine brighter than any star
or moon, we couldn’t help
but glow along, radiating white
time is up, I must go
but I am happy
we let those fireflies free
and when he asks to race
I see that lighthearted smile
Those shoulders that carry no responsibility
He laughs as if it was all this world has asked of him
And as we run through the green carpets God has laid out for us alone
our laugher trails behind
I hear his steps thumb behind me
farther and slower
and his breaths
deeper and harsher
The lines on his face finally reach me
and the snow begins to fall ever so lightly on his beard
leaving behind its dots of white in each hair
he stops to catch his breath
and smiles at me with every tooth and every line
watching me reach the tree declared the finish line