she said

"i'll teach you to love,
just draw nearer to me.
draw nearer to me
and i'll make you mine."

as she

laced up her best heels
put on her best face
and applied another coat
of liquid vanity.

as i
made an effort to

concoct a new way to say
"no"

and

ignore the
rotting
carcasses of
hearts
that strewed the floor.
i'd seen her kind before
"but losing you would be a chore
my darling detritivore"

i said