i forgot
to not let you taint my city,
to not associate my buildings
with you.
i forgot
that when you’d leave,
your portrait would be left.
i forgot
to not let you do that.

i forgot
not to let you spray paint your words
all over my haunts.
i forgot to erase your handprints off my sidewalks,
my walls,
matter of fact...
i forgot
not to let you touch.

i forgot
not to let you sit on my bench,
in my park,
you almost kissed me...
i forgot
to scrub that out.
now it’s too late.
indelible
graffiti that the others can see.

i forgot
at the library,
listening to your words,
i forgot
not to etch them into my brain.
like a broken record,
i hear them over and over.
i forgot i wouldn’t be able to get that out.

i forgot
not to let shooting stars remind me of you.
11:11
i always forget
not to make a wish for you.
i forgot
that i wasn’t supposed to compare
him to you.

i forgot
not to memorize
your hands.
your lips.
your hair, skin, eyes
on me.

i forgot
now you’re here
like a ghost
longing to be put to rest.
haunting me
in my head,
in my heart
on my sleeve.

i forgot
that in the end,
when i remembered,
that it would be too late
to erase.
did you want me to forget?
because
i remember