appealing

The Maynard
Spring 2018

Amy Kenny

I Am Allowed to Break Up With You

I think I should be alone
means I know

means not necessarily alone
just without you

means now
not six months from now

means that when I hide my hand in my pocket
I don’t want you to find it with yours

means stop sending love songs

means don’t chase me through digital spaces
as though they’re the rooms of a house we share
filled with re-framed narratives

means my mistakes don’t make me
a debt you can collect
like the photos of myself alone in bed
that you ask for nightly

means don’t come to town and stay three blocks away
and use words like owe and deserve and
no one will love you like this again

god
here’s hoping