We lay together, so romantically cliche, in the sand. The sky was so brilliantly clear, I remember thinking somebody simply              M U S T                have planned it. It was as though a huge, magnificently black sheet had been draped about us, keeping us sheltered in our own sweet little world. But somebody had been neglectful. There were holes in the sheet! I wondered if the being whos responsibility it was to cover the earth was being punished for giving us mere mortals a


.                .                            .        .                        .                         .                     .
.                   tiny      .                             .                      .       .                     .               
    .       .                          .                             glimpse                   .                     .
         .          .             .     of                  .                         .                       .                .
  .             .                             .                     .                     .       h  e   a   v   e   n      .
.       .                       .                          .                     .                     .                     .



The sea had allowed us a little room, and was  s i g h i n g  in the distance. I suppose, in its wise and intelligent mind, it thought it would leave us some room to bask in our own ignorant bliss.



You told me that you would love me till the day the stars dropped from the sky.

You said, if I collect them all...


                                                          ... E v e r y  l a s t  o n e ...


...Put them in a box, locked up tight, then we will trade.

Trade what? I asked.

You just laughed.



.         .                  .                 .              .                                     . .                .
.   .               .                 .                .                                 .                            .      .




                                          I've been collecting those stars.


With every smile you slide to her,
And every glare you hurl my way,
a piece of my heaven...

F
    
    A

        L
  
             L

                 S
                     .

With every minute we spen in stony silence,
And every tear that strokes my face,
a piece of my heaven...

F
    
    A

        L
  
             L

                 S
                     .

With every piece of crockery that you smash,
And every door that you slam,
a piece of my heaven...

F
    
    A

        L
  
             L

                 S
                     .



Now you sit at the table, ignoring the tears streaming down my face, as I remember that night on the beach so many moons ago.

I slam my hands down on the table as I stand, startling you, and as you catch my gaze I sieze yours for one last time.


"Have your goddamn stars." I whisper,

"Just please
                        give me back my   
                                                         h e a r t."