the catch
the catch
by halifax
apartment living
with an obscene gesture
thrown out a slammed door
shirtless girlfriend
ran down the flight
to escape a squabble
more fascinating
to her mind
than the one
that had her cold
seething directionless
a breezeway away
with neighbors looking
burled blush knuckles
she grasps his collar
miming frantically
in one frenzied move
clutched like sanity
by the wispy tendril bits
twisted rattling in her hands
her wits set a hairsbreadth
from a god-awful conclusion
she had no where else to go
no one to blame but herself
this creeping threat of loss
her victimhood knotted
tightened to suspended judgment
she becomes overcome by anxiety
quits running from her old problem
plops herself at the foot
panting horripilated half-naked
a desperate conflict
waiting for some other
to find alluring
she sighs at click lights
shy bangs a glare to the side
a flirt of disgust at the retreat
all the screen door porches
should have made by now
sniffles a resigned nod
to reality reeling
thumbs run mascara up
puts the past in order
barefoot pads cross-armed
back toward her flat
free-associating fights
scheduled some future day
she reasoned in the dark
knocking apology on a hollow core
as an ask for feigned forgiveness
so she could waste her twenties
on makeup sex, sobriety, and College
This comment is for me later so I will remember the changes this should get….if you’re not me- ignore.
Remove the second use of the word “door”, change 5th stanza to “she sighs at click light pity” and the last line to “hiding money, sobriety, and College”.
Partner this one bookend to Junebugs.
she sighs at click light pity?
not my thing but since you mention tweaks. if you’re going to change the last line, i like “on make-up sex, after hours of makeup, never to tell the big city.”
she reasoned in the dark
deciding she’s not ready to go
so knocks apology on a hollow core
as an ask for some forgiveness
could she please come in
to see through to the end
her plan of collecting mementos
that might mean something later
even if they’re only meant
for throwing away
once she’s forgotten
where she got them