i. in the morning when the sun alighted on your shoulder,
i could see what you wanted me to say. could i give you
the satisfaction? truthfully, no.

ii. you stood at the bottom of the stairs.
anxious and excited? that's what i thought.
maybe just impatient.

iii. i wanted to say no, but you didn't give me a chance to
answer. and you didn't ask.

iv. we drove, and you stopped at the meadow. you
took a picture, sunflowers warm and humming.
almost delicate, you seemed. what tricks
the light can play on us.

v. maybe you apologized. the words are lost.
the mark on my cheek stings when i touch it.

vi. i knew when i saw the picture of us, i knew,
we were broken.

vii. september fourth, good-bye.