This Gray, Unfortunate Place (2)

38 - Honest and Vulnerable

There are times

when I sit alone, 

staring into the void

of my computer's screen,

and, although I know 

that, these days, you hate me 

so much so 

as to burn 

all of the pictures

we worked 

on making,

I still wish

I hadn't deleted

those lewd pictures of you

from my recycling bin,

because in them

you were honest and vulnerable.

You weren't an enemy of my state-

Not an opponent in a campaign,

not a foreign nation who invades,

not a tree branch who pervades

and occupies the spot outside my window,

knocking on the glass 

when I'm trying to tell the kids

that Halloween ended

a few hours early. 

I have no more snacks,

just empty bowls

and a fridge

with one cup of pudding,

and a plate of celery.