¿₩hat kind of
answer is
that¿
save it {for}
laundry
& washing your
car.
i carry comets
in-my-pockets
& #lightening
on my LiPs.
go> back> to> your
sleepy ex _ is _ tence
i'llbeoverhere
being. IN. it.

my
LipPps

On.your.

LipPps
and

d e
...lic
...i
o...
U... S. sss. sss

How the feel. of. you. lingers
<been looking for some.... one; I
can be a\lone __ with>
... in your arms i seemed to get myself
a//  Way from;...me

time just didn't 't' i' c' k' ' '  the same
Nospacebetweenyouandme
tan~g\l~~ed~ uP in-your-sheets

On your mouth I;
(((no longer treading water)))
could.     b. R. e. a. t. H.     again

I'mtryingtoexplain;,...

how; your hands-in-my-hair
made my loneliness leave.  me. alone.
notforminutesbut for {h} ours

and:,...Since having^your^tongue^
things just-won't-taste-the-Same
My memory guards. the. meaning;
.... of my FaVoRiTe New Years ...day

i don't even
know why i
look
as if i wasn't
so. thoroughly. aware.
of what you
Do To Me
oh~ you'll~ be~ there~
you & your tragic grace
orangeeyebrows&gypsytears;
ravenwings&torridwords;
you-just-go-ahead &
dance there
with/your/beer
& i'll just try. not. to. die.
each time;
because it's the knowing
even >in >the >moments >be >fore
how _ I'll _ regret _ it
in the ^same ^instant ^
one can feel so completely
[      empty.     ]
only< after << feeling so
completely
F  [[u]]  LL

No _ Body
<empties> me
Quite. Like. You.
it _ only _  takes
threelittleletters
}suCH a simple word{
& i caN'T breath
or see
Each. Time.
you ^men^tion^

[she]

& there i go
it's a slippery
sl  o _ PE
starts
in ^my^ chest^
pulled
< ti   ght>
just
a }pinch{
at. first.
shades
" i n "ch i "ng
d
   O
       Wn
behind. each. of.
my. EyEs.
the - moment - i - know
i've gone
#toofar;
while~ you~
nevereven

    left.

i don't. know. the.
word; there's
the s
             in
                   K
& the }}} p   e  e l
all i taste is in
(vain)
she's said
she so  [rare] ly
| standsstill |
& i know
those things i
need.
there is no 》get》ting 》
#there w/her
besttojust
for.      get.

i don't know what. silence. is. for.
i've _ got _ no _ use _ for _ it
you 《****** 《me《 in
and spit》 me》 out》 so quick
who/can/say
who\can\say
wak'ing' to' the' rain'
{is always somekind of miracle}
& thewayyoureadtome
is a ^ spite^ful ^dream^
what/for
what\for
as if #knowing
wouldmakeitanybetter
a girl has to hope ~ for ~ some~thing
to. stop. the. bleeding.
you/don't/say
you\don't\say

this. place. is.
haunt. ed.
{buildings aren't just
buildings}
& feelings aren't
|  forgotten  |
i can {still} see~your~
apartment
<<< more-than-a
memory <<<
¡there¡ we made out
in /my \car
& we walked
these/same/blocks
you
^On^My^Arm^
set in my breath
you;
so 'stu'ck in 'my 'head
i can stay a₩ay
yet
there. you. are.
¿₩hen ₩ill it
| end |?

shift & press
lungs/chest
all-your-words
whattheymeant
hum & scream
you/me
in-my-head
inmydreams
far & between
focus/see
what-is-left
holdmybreath
push & pins
loss/sin
when-standing-still
lossofwill

breathe. you. in.
Sun~day~morn~     ings
tuckedincottonsheets
& i'm stuck in Tuesdays
it's> close
it's> progress >>
get\ting\clos\er
brown-sugar-in-my-coffee
morning ^walks^
#remindme
just _  how _ far
away;
¿how can you sleep¿
k{now}ing
our melt
it leaves°me °hanging°
》you go    》 on
over. there.
[ill be here]
ifeveryoushould
₩ant
me

walking along i
look up at the moon
it's only a silver sliver
an end to summer
&so.;        i thought of
you;
the tiny pieces
left ^inside ^of ^me
always
[in all ways]
just _ under _ my _ skin
not really a pain
mostly//likely
an ache
nestledthere
behind
my ribs
along with the 》 long.   ing
burrowed
withinthemarrow
of each
bone

what.
]] will it ]] ever
take;
scrape /you /from /my /bones
squeeze } you { from my soul
if. only. to.
forget.
hazel
& those hands
for
your ~ laugh ~ to be
less than a  | memory |
& (mercifully)
left -out -of -my
dreams
time cr _ aw _ ls a _ lon __ g
while 《whiskey《 brings 《you
back
those sad songs [i favor]
^have me^
#sittingonthefloor
while words & rhymes
simply shred;
₩hat€ver
is
@left

it was a ○ hit & a
'    miss
isuppose/whoknows¿
here.we.are.
712 _ days _ >>>> later
{,...and count^^ing^^}
Guinness ~~has ~me
#remember
whiskey-helps-me
= | forget |
yet
nothing
¡¡ F I L L s
meuplike
•°○ you

Slipping do
W
n
The rabbit hole...
Thoughts and wants and thoughts and
wants...
spinning,...gloriously spinning
Can't wipe this...
Smile...off my face just thinking your...name
And your words and your...voice...the
sounds of you...
......burrowed inside of me
And it's Last thoughts and First thoughts and
First and Last, last and first...and waking to
the wet wanting of
your skin all over me...

don't _ know
>>don't >>care
you/are/just lodged. in. my. ribs.
youarejustnestedinside
& it's alright
i\don't\mind
i walk the dog
i £ive my £ife
it's ~ only ~ when ~ i see the
sun ^^rise^^ the
bl°ue° sky°
whenever. i. breathe.
or think¡ about¡ life¡
that _ i _ even
》no 》》tice

¿what's it about '...,,
idontknowtheletters;
i _ dont _ know _ your _ :"code
maybe
you
get _ off 》》
knowing\know\known
how. Much. i. want. you.
you have; yourself
&whateveryou;
meant.
all >of> the >someones
who _ you've _ met;
noquestionsasked
no. second. thoughts.
you make {the love}
you-take-it-all,...
only^to^say
    you _ can't _ ;
&you; won't

need to stop. wishing.
it's just >grains >of >sand
itdoesn'tmatterhowmuchthereisofit
it's still _ just _ sand _
in | the | end |
& i can't watch° the °waves
with\out hearing {{your name}}
'cause crashing >>is >>crashing
it. all. feels. the. same. [to me]
forgetthemoon
she never did _ me _ any _ favors
¡especially¡¡ when she¡ made¡  you¡¡
~ come ~ true ~

_ e _ asier _
saidthandone
>>trYing to
s
   L
      o    wwww
down/this/love
when ' '' '' min' '' '"utes
trip-me-up
& words
aren't
eno{ugh}
#justsuckitup;
it's-not-as-if
there
is.­ A. choice.

your mouth...I want to bite your lips...****
on each and kiss you for hours...That proud
nose, those bottomless green
eyes...eyes...the eyes have it, that those
brows frame in vain.....Features,
that,...form the most interesting face I've
ever ....Seen...BeaUtiful...yesss...but more,
more,...morethanthat...and I just keep
finding That face...and ***...this is
ridiculous...and ****...*******...****...I'm a
******* of the highest degree to want
and want...can't have can't have...and really
you shouldn't be had at all...not that
we had a chance...Years and miles.Miles
and years...but God
knows...knowing...knowing...knowing all of
this...My.dear.God.,...I'd still die to be
underneath you.

you like to say poetry is everywhere...I'd like
to say it dances on your lips...tangled in,...
your hair,...swimming in your eyes,...tattooed
on your skin,..the freckles on your
chest,...your hands that hold whiskey and
books,...coffee cups,...and tiny hands that
bring so much love,...Poetry thrives in your
smile,...your laugh,...your *******,...the wet
reminder of longing and lust...the poetry
is,..you

& how you
shrug-me-off
words and thoughts
takeanothershot
,...i think,... i know
you see~m
inclined;
but
\don't

I drink from the b°ot°tle°
,...these days
Let's just cut-to-the-chase
what I thought mattered
was your wasted space
But no matter//no worry
I'm glad. for. this. ache.
at least I have felt it
I don't. have. any. shame.
I refuse to feel sorry (or any regret)
you own so much beauty
I'm just another some//body who
....F
        E
             L
                  L
... for it

The eternity of moments...waiting
mo...ments.....
does she know what I
meant?...well it means everything,.. but
that's too much...If only I could have
stopped
...my silly heart overtakes my head
and my hands,... just keep
writing....it...
down.  Keep spilling...my words and
soul,,, turned inside out//exposed///
Howmuch- howgood-howunique...to feel a
kindred...heart...
SPlattER...my silly heart all
over the page and ...handing.it.over.
a coffee mug stain
of shameless/vulnerable/bold/
Really,...and now
we know
just ill advised... because,...everyone
knows,...
truth/passion/romance
died
long ago... and all of the words... are just too
much,...
too, too, too
much

i drink bourbon
for. the. burn.
it's-good-to-feel
<something>
been ^hang^ing^ on^^
forsolong
missed the fact
i ₩as
the only one

fit _ to _ be _ tied
          to you
ifyoudon'tknow
what. you've. found.
how/can/ i
      be of any help
<these arms> have grown ₩eary
from #hangingaround

I can't shake ...
the hold/the clasp/the clench...
All/my/air.
...she told me... I/had/a/
....good //name.
...And
I can't-explain-to-anyone
(She's probably the only
heartbeat to.get.it//said it)
...why it even...matters.
But the sentiment has. ..
... s. t.
>U.
>C.
k.
And i'm Swallowing marbles
...At the thought/of/it
[IKnowsheknowsiknow]
In the end...
It's those {little}
...Things
that so easily could go... <un-noticed>
{WE noticed everything
sheandi}
..That was the beginning
Of the beginning
[That barely got a start]
So many ~little~ things...
//armwrestlingpoetswhiskeyart//

In the end it's so... p l a i n...to see

...it's so.often.the {small---est} shards...
that cause.the.most.
...harm.

it\doesn't\take\
@ genius
to know
you're. doing. it. wrong.
spendingyournights
swear _ ing; swearing _ ing; swear
ing

this life is too.     ~ long ~

shiPwreCKed
&   all.    stretched.     out
hands | gone |   hol. low
mouth\ just\ a \ gap
&lips; and lips&lips;
still sting from the sliver
{of her kiss}
teeter on the° tip° of° it°

what. Ever. is.    left  

it'sthewreck
in your: chest
= some mess of ribs
&the; bits of spine
{not enough to}
stand up. 》               Fine;

   ....   you.   stay.   still.  

what's ¿one ¿more night
On the <cool> kitchen Floor
#everything in reach
allthethingsyouneed
none of this is €asy//

ju _ st-keep-on
          < >  breath <  > ing <  >

some sentiment
yousimplycan'ttouch
>>> or sa [Y]
some. thing. in. your. eyes.
held _ in _ a _ stare _<<
begging^me^to^know
only to blink _ it.       A.   w.   a.       y

youtoldmeyourname
{asked me in}
\sang\me\your\song\
& he doesn't give you what you need
yet you're still 》walking 》back》》》

i'll just keep sip _ p _ing
my whiskey
AllTheTimeKnow _ ing
the tingle on <>my <>lips
is yours/////we could

Idon'tknow
.....how to stop. it.
O
Ver
Whelm.
.ed
You.
Your words
.....voice.....
So many things to say, to say,...to SaY
You.
Your. Eyes. Separate sentences...
Mouth. and Lips, lips, lips, That should be in my//mouth.
Smile 》》
My. chest. is. Tight
Clinching., l;,....
{silly me\silly me}
...Oh. dear. God. how _ I  _ could _ love you
I know/no/now
therearesomany miles, mountains, days be....tween....
& so
i Walk Alone,....won. der. ing upon
the tortured soul,...
....you seem to be;
holding.

those things {i thought}
i need;
poetry&whiskey
& quiet time
[alone]
you ~ ARe
noneofthese
& yet
i feel
@home

Ok,....
here _ we _ are;
《back 《again.
{i can't breathe....}
don'tknowwhoiam
¿How could i miss
the° signs°
the cu€;
What you. Meant¿

You held\ my hand\
You let \ me in\
yet, here you are,
~telling ~me
there-is-nothing-there,...

[i'm so] confused
¿have i gone mad¿
Howdidimiss
what-ever-it-is;
your intent¿

You^ took^ my^ heart,
in-your-hand
& just as quick.
You. toSSed. it.
back.

timing-never-mattered
to me
i still crave you in my bed
{regardlessofthatnonsense}
& all those things
you (said (to (me
Nevermind, darling;
you're so. pretty. in. those. jeans.  
Yes; let's
~dance ~to ~your ~favorite
song

this emp _ ti _ ness
[since you left]
can't
connect-the dots;
whatever.
comes. next
& i can't care
or even try
cuz **** if
i know
[₩hat even
matters]
what's even
>>>>>right
stuck-so-still
inyoursmile
| stalled | in your voice//
¡it wasn't my choice¡
& so
i just
       ~   float

ju* st another *sun day
^^UPSIDE^^ d
                      own
》inside《              》out 《
~~ pull ~ me ~ Ap~ ar ~ T
caN'T put. it. back.
#kiddingmyself
you mi gh t change-your-
mind ))
stack uP those minUtes
{buy back my life}
stu _ ck  __  he _ re
facedownonthefloor
some how/some way
| isn't | getting it;
done.

how does she¿
seem to know
the moment I'm letting
Go;
She reaches for me
again
>>>****** in>>>
drowning in
hazel eyes
& pale skin
This hell i'm in;
she won't have me forward
only let's us
begin

I can't see the sunset
without her
My eyes blink open
to her name
& yet
She. Won't. Own.
me
¿Is it all
just some silly
Game¿

how you like to tie me up
in knots
{{not the way i want}}
you hold my hand
you hold the cards
& then you shut it off
you play it down
[if only you had kept your mouth]
[if only i hadn't had you]
on my tongue
your hands in my hair
i wouldn't care
i could shrug it off
but you dig in those nails
{{while i make you fl _o _ at}}
& it's not enough
your ups and downs
i can't keep up
i'm torn apart

I think I dreamed you up...probably/maybe
it's the whiskey
Here one minute...late night phone calls....then
gone
-------it's only an illusion
I'm stuck on----
That would be the gentler truth...any other...
than your vanishing...
cause you knew all the authors...we chimed
in on
...stanzas
You had no idea; how much it all
mattered...
I so caught up
...I weaved you words polished in wine
to be greeted by...
silence...
left/a/lone
to write sappy lines....

How I woulda, coulda,...shoulda...

taken.my.time.