Where were you

while I stood on the corner of 23rd and Broadway

sleet pelting my skin to putty

in your favorite green dress

Did the moon look just as treacherous

just as cold

Did the people smile

with sheep’s teeth

sharpened to the nerve

Were you looking

to smash promises against the skyline

in that sad light

Were you hoping

I would lap them up

with my sorry tongue

If my wanting was a chokehold

and your tolerance

a wounded throat

were we just running out the clock

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Zoe Antoine-Paul was born on the Island of Saint Lucia, but now calls Brooklyn home. She likes writing about the city, the beauty in the mundane and macabre, and everyday internal turmoil. Her work has been published in Funicular Magazine, Scapegoat Review, West Trade Review where she served as a reader, and other publications. Zoe can be found on Instagram @space.junkie13.