Midnight haze

By Anneka May

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This piece is a preview of the upcoming book ‘Unearthed,’ this year’s edition of the UC FIRST Anthology, which launches on the 16th of October 2024.

I never asked to be carried

away by clouds. I never asked to

fly over mountain tops. The

flying fish knocked on

your door. Asked if you were

home. You hid in the fridge.

Days are shallow and

faint when you live with

a broken compass –

I never asked to be

the captain of a capsized

ship. But I like watching

you live. Salt stains my

eye, I wobble with every step,

I’ve grown so weary of restarting –

I’ve grown so distrusting

of new beginnings and

abundance. I never

wanted to be like you, with perfect

skin and a face so innocent and sweet –

Styling hair with ribbons

and bows. I never wanted to

live like this, I wanted to

live.