You are an exit wound

the extra shot of tequila

the tangled knot of hair that has to be cut out

you are the cell phone ringing in a hushed theatre

pebble wedged in the sole of a boot

the ****** hangnail

you are, just this once

you are flip flops in a thunderstorm

the boy's lost *******

a pen gone dry

you are my father's nightmare

my mother's mirage

you are a manic high
which is to say:
you are a bad idea

you are ****** despite the ******

you are, I know better

you are pieces of cork floating in the wine glass

you are the morning after
whose name I can't remember
still in my bed

the hole in my rain boots

******* with no batteries

you are, shut up and kiss me

you are naked wearing socks

mascara bleeding down laughing cheeks

you are the wrong guy buying me a drink

you are the typo in an otherwise brilliant novel

sweetalk into unprotected ***

the married coworker

my stubbed toe

you are not new or uncommon
not brilliant or beautiful

you are a bad idea

rock star in the back seat of a taxi
burned popcorn
top shelf, at half price

you are everything I want

you are a poem I cannot write

a word I cannot translate

you are an exit wound

a name I cannot bring myself

to say aloud