Life & Limb

I’m sorry to

the tree that we carved our names into

the irreversible and permanent damage

that we did to the landscapes

of one another—

the inevitable destruction

all for a passing moment.

Isn’t that just like love?

I’m sorry to

the roads that we traveled,

your affection

bending and turning

as I lost control

around the hairpin curves

of

everything you said

and then

everything you did

and then

everything you couldn’t bring yourself

to realize—

I’m sorry

that I forged my way through

the topography

of your mind,

so it should come as no surprise

that one of us would eventually

crash and burn.

I still think that it should have

been you.

Isn’t that

just like

love?

Sometimes

a moth to the flame,

but even after all this time,

more so like

a lamb to the slaughter.