I am allowed to break up with you – published by The Maynard – April 2019
I think I should be alone
means I know
means not necessarily alone
just without you
means now
not six months from now
means that when I hide my hand in my pocket
I don’t want you to find it with yours
means stop sending love songs
means don’t chase me through digital spaces
as though they’re the rooms of a house we share
filled with re-framed narratives
means my mistakes don’t make me
a debt you can collect
like the photos of myself alone in bed
that you ask for nightly
means don’t come to town and stay three blocks away
and use words like owe and deserve and
no one will love you like this again
god
here’s hoping
Yowzers.
Precise
Deep
and