you don't realize your breathing's been strained until it is clear again
how not in love you really were
until you're really in love good god
love is a heart
beating through clear valves
for the first time
a river dammed
a dam broken
an irresistible current
watering the parched places
thirsting up from below
jealousy is a beach ball drowned by sunscreened arms in a concrete pool it shoots out of the water of your belly with thunderous propulsion the burn of lightning struck charring insides cold as frostb
your memory is stained with decaf and the crinkles of Sweet'N Low packets spirited away into the bottom of your purse from queens boulevard diners on those brisk Tuesday evenings we'd huddle against i