They

They used to laugh together;
sitting in the back
of a pickup truck.
Sometimes she would
grin a little too hard
and her red hair
would tumble out
of the green beanie and fall
slightly on the edge of
her faded Iron Maiden t-shirt.

They used to laugh together;
countless stars glowing in the night sky.
Her fingers, long and lean,
would tap the headboard with a rhythm
and the rusty silver ring would
make an
infuriating sound
on the metal.

They used to laugh together;
in the dark hues of the night sky.
She would hum the same tune,
a melancholy melody
she had made her own and perhaps
theirs.

They used to laugh together;
an echo of their voices
still heard in the silence.
She would dream them out of their faded town
and weave a path of colour
to a place they could be.

They used to laugh together;
breathless melodies to hide each scar.
She would close her eyes
and point to the stars,
hoping one would be enough to carry them
away.

They used to laugh together;
but no more could they be heard.
Her tears, in the corner of green orbs, would slip out and land on
the rusty board, sliding slowly down
onto the uneven bricks
where they would forever be lost.

They used to laugh together;
once upon a time.
She used to wish upon the blowing dandelions,
until one such carried her away.

They used to laugh together;
until two became one.
He would hum that tune on his pick-up truck,
the ghost of a smile still lurking on his
saddened face.