Some memories never shut up

they gnaw at you
conversations with the people from the past
repeating
over and over and over
seconds
over and over and over
the decades
your fourth grade teacher,
your lover,
your wife
your mum,
your uncle
your grandfather
you
your friends
a random stranger
a rejection
stealing candy from the counter at a 7/11 when you’re 5 and feeling guilty
cheating for the first time
losing your virginity at 20 to a woman you weren’t attracted to
getting fired from a job you really needed
losing money
losing your mind
gaining a purpose in life that ended up being too big to pursue
missing out on the winning race
getting rejected
seeing your car burning after being set on fire
holding your dogs 3 dead pups in your arms and crying like a baby, finding it immensely painful as you shovel a hole for them in the backyard,
getting told you have all the talent in the world but place no effort,
being told you’re not good enough,
being told to join the army,
being told to be a plumber,
being told not to write, or act, or marry the girl of your dreams
being told to leave home because you’re a disgrace
getting punched in the face by your best friend,
being told they just don’t love you enough,
being told you’re a fake, false person who tells people what they want to hear.

Some memories never shut up,
So you’ll just have to stop listening to survive.