I wrote
your name in
an awkward pause
I made
a black wing bird
an envoy
to bring
you mine
which I gave up
I turned passion
into a science
so I could dissect it
and I took
the parts that didn't fit
and made a collage
and I only
revealed it
to strangers
just because
I wanted
an impartial opinion
I learned
to say love
in Algonquin
and in Arabic
just in case
anyone questioned me
and then
I took everything
out of this that I could
everything that could
be construed
as a cliche
everything
you'd recognize
as yours
only then
did I determine
it was safe
for me
to go ahead
and put you in
and if this
feels familiar
somehow
it's different
but only because
it's you.
Lovely and delicious. Would you allow it to be published in a newspaper?
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