X

we’ve x-ed out the relationship on social media,

which seems like the final click that will keep

the music box in my heart closed,

but this morning —

I am all moonshine, hot black tea from new red

kettle, and happiness.

Being with someone else isn’t a thing we will do,

but it’s a language we will learn.

You might not think you can recognize

the accent, or roll your tongue

to make the right sound,

but you don’t know what you don’t know

– my love, my x, my spot, my kiss –

so sound it out. You will speak

and be understood. You will become

a compound word again.

You will press into someone else’s breath,

balance the ledger of their syllables, you

will be lemonlime, jellybean, breaststroke

in an ocean, awestruck, you will be

butterflies who make exes

with their bodies.

VICTORIA