(▼)

they have brought us here

(my love and i)

and separated us

(my love and i)

to different rooms

mine dark, unseen, possibly cornerless

with thoughts of whether her’s is better

and if she is being treated alright

which is what i wished

for her from me

(my love and i)

because i assumed

there could never be absolute bliss

or consistent terror

just a middle line tugged

from the neck leaving us

dead and listless

but there

sturdy

blood drained

taxidermy collections

(my love and i)

which she tells me is okay

for she has been busy at work

which makes me happy

and busier at mine

and which makes her busier at hers

and on and on until here

without her

(my love and i)

does she like the separation

is it a fitting break

i’m not sure

(my love and i)

i somewhat do

not having to worry about

keeping her keeping

or keeping me keeping her

(my love and i)

she’ll never know

for i barely do

before a window opens

and i see her outside

kissing another man

(my love, not i)

my gut is a hallway

for people who

push through to

find where they need to go

(my love, not i)

they kiss harder

window darkens

corners corrode

i do not know

what to think

for i am not thinking

and am left with

my love

not i

i feel alive