Poem: I Do Not Want to Be Here

I Do Not Want to Be Here

Not any longer,
not now, but
I cannot go,
not yet, not even
now, after this.
I must stay,
cannot go,
not now,
not even soon.
It was better once,
not perfect
but better,
now it is not
just imperfect,
it is a perfection
of another sort,
and I wish
it were simple,
wish it could go back,
but it is too late
for it to get better
without changes
that cannot happen
in this place
where I must stay.

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