An Ex Calls    A Dropped Call    And 8 Months Later

 

You’ve only ever known love in hindsight.

The shrinking of your hometown

from the back window of a two story bus–

The flat line of your grandmother’s EKG

as you exit the hospital parking structure–

Slamming of screen door and

screeching of tires against pavement

while you stand speechless with the ring in your palm.

You always pumped the brakes too soon.

Yet you saw your heart in the rearview mirror and kept driving.

 

You; a sad reality check.

You only want it once it’s gone.

Once you can’t cage it anymore.

You be tale of caution.

Of whiskey and wind.

And forgotten promises.

 

You; a story for the attic.

For the stubborn and indecisive.

You wouldn’t know what you wanted if it was on its palms

begging you not to walk away.

 

You beginning to look like pity.

Like trembling bottom lip and untrustworthy knees.

You titanium in small doses.

Sounds all big and bad but still malleable.

You ain’t never been bigger than your own pride.

You got half a mind, apologized,

then called it a waste of time.

You;

 

center of your own universe.

You the smallest microorganism on the most make-believe of planets.

You “sorry”.

and for the first time

No one cares.

---