check mate

he sleeps and
i wonder if
like some reverse sea tide
i'm going out and he's going in
I want to print out all the times he's
said i love you
and tape it where we met

captivated
church goer
i miss you like crazy
you think you've got me all
mapped out
next move, check mate, transcribe
this, baby
im so slick and
its only my
second time

you talked about your sunglasses
like a bagged lunch
and i knew wed never fall in love
well say "were over it"
at half moon bay
ill end up taking you to the donut shop
on your birthday
where youll apologize for being such a nice guy
and ill nod, understanding

i cant promise i wont write poems
to my daughter, to the
nurse who fed my IV
at the clinic, the dark
haired boy at the bar who had nothing
to be sorry for
but thats because ill write poems
about anything
im writing one about
you right now, while you
read these words
put your eyes back in your head
and
close your mouth