Tuesday, February 14, 2012

The Things He Told Me

The Things he Told Me

“Tell me all your secrets” She said.
My parents hate themselves.
My two cats love each other more than any human being.
I had an accident when I was nine
And when I was eleven I pushed my sister on purpose.
I want a white picket fence
I don’t want to be the death of me.
I have never really been in love,
But I promised someone I would love her forever.

“Tell me your truths” she said.
I don’t know what I believe.
I believe in true love.
I don’t believe in god,
but I believe there is magic in the third pew from the alter.
I believe men and women are created equal,
And all men should know how to drive a truck and skin a deer.
There are always bad people.
There are no honest definitions.

“Tell me your story” she said.
I wrote a book once.
No one bought it.
I guess that like all art,
It was a self-portrait.
I grew up right here.
Graduated there, skinnydipped in that water, and had sex on that soil.
I’ve had brown hair and brown eyes my whole life-
Just like my sister’s.
But these seasonal freckles
And that faded suntan
Are really telling my story.

“Tell me who you love” She said.
I love my mom.
She never yells at me anymore
And she looks at me like the man across the hall-
With worry and forgiveness.
I love my sister (I guess)
But she is kind of a slut.
I love my sophomore history teacher-
He once had us color in class.
I learned so much about the world.

“Tell me who loves you” She whispered.
Not the right people.
A girl who wants something impossible from me.
A girl who won’t believe me when I tell her:
“I made it all up” he said. 

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