heart beat code

stares at her feet

steps ctrl alt del

falls from

she used to sit high on his shoulders

—now he shrugs a lot

the heart he's got

taps a tune she’s grown immune to

call it

un-required love

when there are words

they don't speak of

seems bad dreams are the has beens and future bes

known together/known apart

they'd made styrofoam telephones

connected thoughts with string

twisted twine & tied the knot

remembered messages & forgot

now he’s curated non-essential memories

she is a window dispensing emotional amenities

a pain then two panes lifted shut

transparent without opening up

he read forgiveness can be harrowing

she said, you always tell the same two things

then

silence meant to hurt

silence got to work

all these distances she knows

stick like stamps before

she’s shown which way she’s supposed to go

push pebble problems like rocks

till they roll

away 

once woven close-knit

now calls are missed

tell her heart he rang,

speaking in remorse code

beating sorry.

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