callouses for

callouses for all the love letters

callouses for final goodbyes

callouses for missed shots

     and unfilled glasses

callouses for skipped heartbeats

     and magic wands

     and the way my stomach hurts when I look at her

callouses for loneliness

callouses for frayed edges

     and bucket lists

callouses for the ones who couldn't be saved

callouses for the ones who could

callouses for DNR contracts

    and flatlines on monitors and wrists

callouses for every broken syllable

   every stutter

   every missed beat

   off-tempo

   too fast

   too slow

callouses for fragility

callouses for almosts

   and just enoughs

callouses for too much

it was just a little too much