Bones Beneath the Linoleum

Bones Beneath the Linoleum

Bones beneath the linoleum
grief stuck in the grout
a pain they’ll never get
so let them shut me out

I hold your memory
like a leash in my hand
missing you harder
than I ever planned

They say “it’s just a dog”
but the quiet feels heavy as lead
I still step over the empty spot
where you used to rest your head

I hear your tags jingle
in the hallway
when the heat kicks on
and catch myself reaching
to pet a ghost
that is already gone

I find your fur on my black coat
woven into the seams
waking up reaching for you
in the middle of my dreams

They tell me “get a new one”
like you were a broken toy
like I can just swap out the source
of my only real joy

Let them look away
let them judge
how I fall apart

They didn’t see the way
you guarded my heart

They don’t know
that a paw can hold more weight
than a thousand human hands
deciding my fate

Bones beneath the linoleum
you’re part of the floor

I’ll leave the light on
just in case
you scratch at the door