Retrograde (What Happens Now?)

April 9th, 2024

Do you know the effects of Mercury
Because I’ve been thinking lately
About what you might be thinking lately
But you never wanted to date me
I think you’re missing me
I feel your energy
Not sure if I’m being naive
Because maybe it’s just me
I told you I was depressed
Is that why you decided to crush me
Filled my heart with breadcrumbs
And let me live in a fantasy
The vibes that you gave
Were always hot and cold
You were the perfect mixture
Of neutral
I remember what we were both wearing
When I saw you last
Then you tossed me out
Like the rest of your trash
I always tried to wear red for you
Like the Megan and Liz song
You’re so bad for me
The lyrics were never wrong
I remember when I filled up my ice box for you
The small gestures that you never knew
Because I remembered you liked extra
I did more for you than you would ever do
The memories tucked away in crevices of my brain
That container of strawberries that you ate
Things I don’t know why but I remember
I guess that’s just how I operate
All this stress for a guy who couldn’t spell “I’d”
Where do you see an ‘e’ in I would?
Yet I wonder if you still think about surprising me
When you drive through my neighborhood
Do you still think of me when you’re watching TV
And you see Jenna Ortega or Anya Taylor-Joy
Because I still think of how I gave you my heart
And all you gave me back was a decoy
I watched a scary movie with another guy recently
But it didn’t feel the same
Trying to find a similar connection
But one who wants to share their last name
When all you’ve known is leaving
What if you chose to stay
12 messages in 11 days
Like a prison sentence they replay
The last message you sent me
Said you won’t be available for a long while
And I knew that wasn’t true
Because you’re updating your dating profile
You’re not good for my mental health
Still I created an idea of who you were
You’re probably seeing someone else now
And whispering to her that you miss her
You kept coming back to me
But then you’d change your mind
It was always your decision
And I still got declined
I have a lump in my throat
Wondering how someone could ask so much of me
Then turn away because it wasn’t enough
These thoughts I can’t grasp tangibly
And I’m over here wondering
That maybe it is true
Guys want to feel needed
But I never needed you
What if I made you up
Why am I still thinking about this stuff
You hurt me in ways you never knew
I know an apology will never be enough
You were the wrong person
It was the wrong time
So why do I still long
That one day you will be mine
You played me like an instrument
But you’re not a musician
I think I’ve finally accepted your answer
Because “nothing” will come to fruition

Thirty-One

January 25th, 2024

I know I promised myself
I wouldn’t write about you anymore
But today is your birthday
And I haven’t locked the door
I looked at your Hinge profile
You’re another year older
I don’t know why I can’t move on
When this is irreparably over
It’s been just over a year since I saw you last
You were twenty-nine and now you’re thirty-one
You probably feel like you dodged a bullet
While I’m feeling like you shot me with one
My heart hurts for that version of me
Who got that cruel message from you
But I dyed my hair purple while faking my smile
And I still wished you a happy thirtieth too
I’ve never written a poem longer than six pages
But with you I couldn’t stop
So when you opened that fifteen page poem
I wonder what you thought
Maybe it will be your Roman Empire
And maybe one day you’ll find your redemption arc
But no future apology from you
Will ever relight our spark

Another Colbert Report (The Last Thing I’ll Write About You)

January 5th, 2024

I was only back on Hinge
For a short two days
Before you liked my picture
I didn’t know what to say
I responded to your action
It took me eight days
Because when I first saw your name
I was not okay
It was the day after Christmas
I was feeling brave
Being optimistic 
I dug my own grave
I told you I was surprised
You ghosted me nine months ago
And that fucked me up
These things I needed you to know
I just never anticipated
Your name would light my phone again
You hurt me so deeply
Was I ready to let you back in
You told me you hoped I would message
You apologized for the past
We talked for two hours
A conversation I wanted to last
You had texted me to say goodnight
I didn’t hear from you for two days
Six texts exchanged 
And you drifted away 
Eight more days went by
You texted to say sorry for being MIA
But you won’t be available for “a long while”
Nothing about this was okay
I wasn’t going to respond
I’ve already said everything that I need to
But after an hour I sent you a link
To a fifteen page poem I wrote about you
I’m not expecting a response
Not sure you’ve even read it
But I can see you opened it three times
And everything I wrote feels good to admit
This wasn’t what I was expecting
How my year would start
That my optimistic naive self
Keeps letting the same guys break my heart
I’m still searching for the person
I’ll have coffee with in the morning
The one that I can call
When my eyes start pouring
I cried more over some random guy
Than I ever did for you
But nobody has ever made me feel
The hurt you put me through
I’ll never understand
How you moved on like I never existed
Or why you would want to hurt me again
You must be pretty twisted
At least you said goodbye this time
I got a little closure
Your name won’t light my phone again
This story is finally over