dirge
we would have flowers at the grave stone of our relationship
if we cut the chord
the coroner would find the cause of death
it would be you who killed us
our memories would get put in the coffin
they would be left there
to slowly waste away
then the grieving process would set in
i would try to move on
or pretend to
then you would settle in someone else’s arms
someone who ain’t me
then i would beat my heart into a coma
hoping it would never wake up
we would have flowers at the grave stone of our relationship
if we cut the chord
the coroner would find the cause of death
it would be you who killed us
Vanessa Maki is a writer (& other things) who is queer & full of black girl magic. She’s been published in Enclave, Faded Out, Rag Queen Periodical, Occulum, Five:2:One Magazine, SYS, horny poetry review, sublet press, Entropy, Susan/The Journal & is forthcoming in Sorority Mansion among others. She is founder/editor of yell/shout/scream & rose quartz journal. Twitter: ahumantornado.