BIG.

I marveled at his big, chiclet teeth.
They were huge, white, s t a r i n g a t m e.
I smoothed my tongue over them and fell in love.
The kind of love that snaps, crackles, and pops all in an instant.
That dizzied me like a kaleidoscope.
Like my head was under my feet.
He was older but I was wiser.
Wise enough to know better.
But then I forgot.
It was a round-peg in a square-hole or whatever they call it but that's what it was.
Anything sticks together if you have enough glue.
Our dreams were the same! We were changing the world.
Or so we thought.
He said things like, "tomorrow" and "everyday" and "always."
I said, "yes" and "forever" and "only."
Secretly I shuddered.
Big teeth and big heart and big dreams but small us.
It ended in September.
On a Sunday.
And I wonder now where he's gone.

promise.

willfully, she walked.  his hand, a weathered map of long summers past nested carefully in hers.  ordinary, and still a little new, the two reveled in the quiet moment.  the sun was setting slowly through the trees, showering them with the last few rays of daylight, when they reached the small ranch-style home.  the creak of the front steps took her by surprise, but his fingers tightened around hers, and calm instantly subsided her fears.  with a scarcely-subtle smile, she followed him inside, both unaware of the soft promise that trailed behind them.

thingofthepast.

today
it was onthefloor, my heart,
and i would say your worn-out treads
stomped it backtolife

pressure and rhythm and tongues
thatgettied and i whirled around
like a bag - the wind (thatisyou)
filling and carrying me

tomorrow
i will forget the way we
met and made eachother and begin to
undo this mess [trapped] in myownhead

i will pushANDpushANDpush you
until you disappear into a dream
or a memory or this thing ithinkididonce
but now i'm not sure

(pause) - there you are!
whenever i don't want you
so i closemyeyes (squeezethemshut)
and i ask you to go. now. please. . .

you're a blur. a mist. a thingofthepast
and i won't remember you or the way
your fingers felt when they tangletangletangled
in my hair and wrapped around my heart

i will you away. (goaway!) but i miss
the smell of your aftershave and the way
you said 'three' and the tinyjaggedscar
halfhidden by your eyebrow

and i know i can't forget
not today not tomorrow
(but maybe after that)