1275

well baby you had the looks
and I had the depression
and now I have the passive hope
complete with the sun and moon
swapping blood and spit
above the flat dirt of the south

well baby you had the depression
and I had the looks
and now I have the aggressive
ignorance complete with anxiety
and a ring I’ve given to the
fourth planet and whatever
that means
I find it to be true

well baby you had the sainthood
and I had the abuse
and now I have the sensitive
teeth from chewing on my own
crooked constellation
that collection of stars and
rocky planets I adopted in
our forced absence

well baby you had the abuse
and I had the sainthood
and now I have the trees and wild
grasses I dug up from
that crashed satellite
that crashed satellite
that monitored our pulse
when it quickened in love
and when it slacked

well

I told my friend
the one I mentioned in that
midnight correspondence I sent
I always learn something
new in our time apart

but
if you can mark it as
growing pains
so can I
and if you can explain it away
to your loved ones
so can I
and if not
Maria
know I haven’t forgotten our
troubles and our quick running
river
overflowing with love and hurt
confusion and the dull knife
of distance cutting
hot and deep across our breast

and if not

if we never get that house
or that dog
well
I’ll listen to San Diego Serenade
once more and do my best
to forget how much I needed you

cheers

my friend
my old love

C