there was once
a genocide
in my heart,
outbreaks of riots
at my fingertips,
loose chaos
in my bones.

days to weeks,
weeks to months
months to years,
the wars raged
onward,
never falling back -
only charging on.

however,
the genocide
and riots
and chaos
have relinquished.

i survived
the apocalypse
that was
my own self.

you were as sweet as a nectarine. i remember my first bite.

2. take me off your shelf; i want to be your favorite read.

3. i spoke you into the sunflowers growing out back in mason jars.

4. you were bourbon in a coffee cup. i was last sunday’s paper.

5. we spent one night in a park - our first waterfront vacation home.

6. your neck smelled like fresh dew on summer grass the last morning.

7. i wonder if i ’ll look at someone the way i looked at you.

8. you stopped touching me. i tiptoed around the eggshells from our
breakfasts.

9. 48.5867°n, 2.3508°e. you said we could run away here. je t’aime beaucoup.

10. we are cheap candles with quick-burning wicks. you hate yankee candle.

11. you blew me out into the ocean breeze with your american spirits.

12. "we were never in love, but, oh god, we could have been."