BASED ON SONNET 116 BY WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

LET ME NOT TO THE MARRIAGE OF TRUE MINDS
ADMIT IMPEDIMENTS. LOVE IS NOT LOVE
WHICH ALTERS WHEN IT ALTERATION FINDS,
OR BENDS WITH THE REMOVER TO REMOVE:
O NO; IT IS AN EVER-FIXED MARK.

THE THOUGHT OF YOU AND THE THOUGHT OF US BURNS THE HEAVY DARKNESS OF MY EYELIDS LIKE THE COOL STREAMS OF VODKA THAT SLIDE DOWN MY THROAT. WE WERE IT, YOU WERE IT FOR ME. WE WERE THE KIND OF LOVE, THE TRUE AND UNTAINTED LOVE.

WE WERE SUPPOSED TO MAKE IT.

YOU LEFT A TATTOO ON THE SINEWS OF MY HEART AND BRANDED YOUR TOUCH INTO THE SOFT SKIN OF MY HIPS. I CLOSE MY EYES AGAIN AND ALL I CAN SEE IS YOU, ALWAYS YOU. I'M NOT SURE IF I'LL RECOVER.

OR IF THE RADIANCE OF YOUR SMILE WILL EVER FADE FROM THE STARS.

OR IF THE SOUND OF YOUR LAUGH WILL EVER DISAPPEAR FROM THE FOUR WHITE WALLS OF THIS COLD AND EMPTY ROOM.

BUT HERE'S TO US, THE BROKEN COUPLE WHO COULD NEVER FIND OUR FOOTING IN THE WORLD.

I RAISE A TOAST IN A FRACTURED GLASS FILLED TO THE BRIM WITH A STINGING BITE OF REGRET AND DISAPPOINTMENT. THE SHARP SHARDS CUT MY TONGUE, AND A CRIMSON TIDE BLOCKS THE WORDS I NEVER KNEW HOW TO SAY.

TONIGHT I'LL LOSE YOU AGAIN TO A SEA OF LIGHTS THAT SHINE ALMOST AS BRIGHT AS THE STARS WE USED TO COUNT. THE SAME EXACT STARS THAT YOU SAID WOULD NEVER OUTSHINE MY EYES.