you had these white plates
i never knew how one could keep plates that pristine
like they had been dipped in bleach
before and after every use

we used to eat off of those plates
those beautiful ivory discs
it was always spaghetti that we enjoyed together
at least once a week
i couldn't figure out how all that red never once stained the surface
i still don't know

i think your heart was like those white plates
those beautiful, generous, pure plates
that concluded some of the best days of my life
i spooned out my love
but it never once stained the surface

how do i know?

because in the end you were just left
with those white plates
like they had never once been eaten on
with a clean slate for someone else to stain