After one month together
You came up with an idea
“Let’s test our love for each other”
I thought, “Why not?”

It started with whimsical ways
You loved the way I laughed in the morning
I loved when you held me tighter when we cuddle
Then we went onto appearances

Oh I love the colors of your irises
Blue and green like the aura borealis
But they were dancing along to a somber song
Rather than a happy one

I brought it up
But you said literally nothing
Which says more than “nothing”
We got into a fight

The snow seemed to melt
From our heated discussion
I left
To let things cool

You stopped responding
To my messages
So I drove back
And opened the door

To the sound of our dog barking
I followed him
To the sunroom
With the vast windows

And there I saw you
Hanging lifeless
From the elegant maple
“What have I done?”

I dashed to you
A layer of fresh snow
Settled on your head
Under you was a note

Carved into the trunk
“I LOVED YOU THE MOST”
To this day
I’m still haunted

In that moment, I realized
That’s what happens
When you assign values
To something that cannot be measured