
A cockroach fell on its back
from somewhere above
from sometime before
trapped; until it dries, mummifies
stay hydrated, ads say
pestering, glistering
stay hydrated, they say
red, green pesto
traffic lights, pesticides
me catching a ride to
Paris, flight to Berlin
anterograde trains
chugging along the tracks
choo-choo, down with sanity
what time is it when the world
slumbers away its innocence
in the slums of an unnamed city
a city without a name
no one would travel to
as it's not on the maps
off-grid, off-limits, out of reach
these urban landscapes
behemoth blocks of glass and concrete
make me feel how
howl your discrepant songs
hollow inside sometimes
yet full to the brim, bursting
with cheers
one of many veneers
vinegar mien
pallid, rancid; fancied
a life somewhere here
sometime before
or after that moment
which is now.
About the Creator
Reader insights
Outstanding
Excellent work. Looking forward to reading more!
Top insights
Compelling and original writing
Creative use of language & vocab
Heartfelt and relatable
The story invoked strong personal emotions
Excellent storytelling
Original narrative & well developed characters
Eye opening
Niche topic & fresh perspectives




Comments (7)
Hi! I really enjoyed reading this. The characters feel natural and the world you’re building is very vivid. It was easy to picture the scenes while reading. Your writing has a very visual feel to it, which made the story even more engaging. I really liked the atmosphere you created here. DIS: eve_ve𝐫se IG: eve_ve𝐫se_ Regards, Evelyn.
Great effect, Andrei! It definitely gave me that feeling. And the ending landed perfectly!
This is brilliant. It’s like going on a little trip on your train of thought, and feeling the anxiety right there. I don’t even have to imagine the anxiety so that must have helped. 😂 Great work.
Very raw and emotional!
I absolutely loved this. You've got such command over language in this, it's fantastic!
Stay hydrated! Hahah Loved the twists and turns here in the stream. Hope all is well!
I love the vibrant imagery here. It definitely conveys a sense of anxiety, discomfort and dread.