The way I thought always meant forever,
is the most embarrassing
The way you taught me silence
– to not trust the beats of my memory,
is the most cruel
The way you walked away when I said please
and fell
to my bleeding knees,
is the most unmerciful
The way you pushed me on that rusted merry-go-round
until I was too dizzy to see the moon,
break speed,
is high treason
The way you said that I asked to be spun
is a legacy
that you can leave to your children
The way I tried to make you laugh while
suturing my own heart,
is a secret –
an ode to the words, ‘you’re what I want’
You’re what I want,
an echo chamber of mistakes
I don’t know if mistakes can be juiced
but mine drip like the plums of summer
bitten too late

Nagmeh Phelan is a human who lives in Toronto, Canada. She loves slow walks by the beach, sunsets and puppies. Her work has appeared in Room, Queen Mob’s Teahouse, Minola Review, The Fiddlehead, and more. Find her @somesomersaults

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