Let’s Just Talk

Adrian Darwent

Contributor

Okay. I’m listening

Two hearts beating

An autumn flutter

Wings powdered together

Sticky like your gloves

At the end of a long day

Picking flowers

For a paycheck

Okay. I’m listening

Two gloves hit the tin

Sides of a garbage can

And slap me in the face

Stinging like your touch

At the end of your parade

Picking someone else up

Outside my apartment

Okay. I’m listening.

To an excuse you’ve made

So easy to love

Just shut up and

Listen, okay?

We need to talk

I need you to listen

Are you listening?

I’m listening, okay?

Then look at me

when my eyes roll back into your head and

when my lungs beat at your chest to seize in the open wind and

when my embalmed cheeks siphon air from your wound and

when my throat has never worked so hard to breathe and

when you kiss me after you’ve buried me

I’m listening.