Omission

Even though it’s true,you don’t text himto say you slept with someone elsefinallyfor the first timesince he left two years ago,almost three–you don’t tell himit was his body resurrectedabove your closed eyes,his warmth filling you slowly,then desperately–you don’t call himhoping to hear his voice on the linesaying hello,sounding eager to hear the newsthat you’re trying

The Lost Cause

Some days are so filledwith bits and piecesof everything I can rememberI long for my pillowthat I roll into in the nightand put my arm aroundas if you would be thereready for me to love youin every possible way. . DeMaris 6.17.22

Welcome Packet

Dearest lover, I have compiled a list of instructions— a user guide for this body you claim to love— know first that my heart is not filled by you— you alone do not feed or complete me. There will always be an unnamed vacancy beside you. Please know my time with you will never be

Empty

Nothing is what I feared we’d be left with if we didn’t wait— if we spent each other like dimes at a candy store— and here we are with the wrappers scattered on the floor and my stomach starting to hurt because I knew when to stop but I didn’t want to.      

Breakfast Ritual

We’ll never have one. Never make plans over coffee to get lost in the anticipation of our next adventure. You’ll never stand in the kitchen making muffins with the harvest of serviceberries while I read you the latest bad news out loud from the newspaper, which we’ll use to start our campfire when the sun

Now You Know

No one knew. For years no one knew what we had done— what violations lay dormant waiting to be discovered and judged. And because it happened so fast without time to consider anything but the moment, it seems unfair that we be given no credit for the will it took to put an end to

Winter Conference

Almost a year since you fell in love with her. Even longer since you welcomed her into your most private, secret dreams, where her legs part beneath you as she waits, beautiful and naked, for you to fill her milky center with your abundance and skill. Now you sit beside her on the plane, and