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her daddy still buys
her clothes even though
she says don’t

the last time I saw you
you said
you’d understand
if you felt like me

her daddy is growing a beard
strokes it when he’s writing
articles or grants
his study door is all glass

I pulled my own beard out
closed the door to my closet
when you fell down
and refused to tell me
how your day went

she says her brother plays
violin and stares at the moon

I keep my own blood
in windowless rooms

now I don’t care for the time

her father wrote me a letter
told me nothing new
said to be careful
not to let time turn into dirt
it sticks together
and you’ll forget who
you’re supposed to be

I play a guitar that is missing
the high E string
stare at the door