if drowning in alcohol allows us
to forget things long dead — while
it tries to resuscitate that part of ourselves
we buried with them
— no wonder they call it

a SPIRIT

sorry ≠ apology

Looking back
on the moments we had,
all I see now are dead things
and broken people

I thought they were beautiful,
flowers in full bloom,
until they were picked
and were laid on gravestones

𓇢𓆸
HERE LIES
     usㅤ

if I have to kneel before your body
to get what I want — and
hear songs of quick shallow breaths —
soft praises — from your mouth agape
— no wonder they call it

a TEMPLE

when you think of how I've only given
//
HALF as MUCH
//
did you think about how that may have been
//
my LAST HALF?

some truths
you cannot
squeeze out
of someone —
they've got to
let you in on
the secret

it finally
RAINED in MANILA

the thunderclaps were orchestral
the water splats — a van Gogh
on bus windows
against red tail lights

and people held their breaths
as the first drops of relief
hit their skins — a lover's kiss
at the end of a long day

the KISS
SWEET like CHERRIES
long before you knew
how they tasted

LONG like the LINES I TRACE
with my FINGERS
in the small of your back

WARM like your BREATH
on my NECK
just before you wake up

just                                     
before                  
we
                do it
                                  again