Not In A Poem
by Becky Sanvictores


You would tell me wouldn’t you
if your want stopped, if your heart stopped
searching for my rhythm

You would write a letter
archaic pen to paper
blaming yourself, your boy life, Peter Pan good life
bag of marbles and a shooter life

You could send a text, all zeroes and ones
hashtags and abbreviations
JTLYK, I'm done, I'm going, I'm SEP
#itsNotYouItsMe

you might go extravagant
a banner from the overpass in two foot letters
hand painted the magenta you promised for the back studio
I set you free, I set you free

or a flashmob, passé, no longer trendy
you and the boys in the Sears parking lot
start slow, start low, Journey - Baby, I'm Leaving You
with a bouncy Ska routine

but, not at a wedding
with love first kiss new, all white and clean
not at a funeral
I can't bleed in parallel, mourn in two
and never in a poem, never when God is praying






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