My Past Lives

As I celebrate my birthday and travel back
to places forgot by time

I smell the sea salt
and feel the tilting boat as people panic
What happened? What's going on?
More lifeboats drop, some not even filled
Children crying as I find my way
and squeeze onto a boat
Mostly women and children crying
Leaving men and property behind
Now it's dark and I travel to another place

It's still dark even though it's different
Shots sound in the distance, as I hide away
I hear voices and hide even more
Breathing softly as to not make any noise
Here they come
I see the red flags
Evil as always
As they rush inside to find me and others
They find my friend, her yellow star all I see in the dark
I can't stand anymore and travel to another time

I have never traveled in the day
I can't tell where I am
In the woods, by a grave
I have been here once before
Same grave, same woods, same person
Now there is a new gravestone near the old one
One name carved in the black marble
Dead flowers near the edge and letters in the earth
I place a flower on the grave
Near the name
My name