Starting Over

 A fresh set of sheets
Wall painted white
Vacuuming cracks in the floor
Pennies, beads, dust bunnies
Sucked up to heaven
Curtains whipped open to sunrise
Kettle set to boil

Shake out the rug

Hang it like a flag outside

For the neighbors to read

Lines of colored rags

Screaming

I'm still alive

Soft, bright, purposeful 

His message is different

He wants to say fuck _____

Cover our windows with it

And sit behind the glass

Hatred and profanity

Won't shield us

From more of it

He has forgotten

Back of bicycle

Basement sleepovers

Selling cookies

Dancing at drag shows

Meeting on street corner

NYC romance 

I try to take him there

He doesn't see it

We revisit the streets but

The treasure chest is locked

Where does he

Hide

The memories

Misplaced like

Hat, wallet, keys

Us

We are forgotten

In the basket of dirty laundry or

Clean, sorted socks

He still loves

Starting fire

Making coffee

Breaking mirrors

Leaving shards 

For more reflection 

Another accident

To pile up

Over the gems

Of what was

Can we throw that out

If we throw it out

We can see more clearly

We won't feel ashamed

Of the incomplete

The broken