And As The Days Go Poem by Ben Partenay

in some ways I wanted
to tell you this but
i’ve always
hated phones the way
you laugh and it’s only
because you need the
other to know you’re
smiling,
or yell
and grind your teeth
loudly
loud as you can
so they know you’re
full up with anger

and the letters take
days to get anywhere
you’re left with
an envelope
and a stamp
and a paper cut
and dry tongue
and any other way
seems inhuman

in some ways i wanted
to tell you, the way
you told me
‘we fight too much’
you said
‘i want a man
who treats me
like a princess’

well,
you said
you liked
Bukowski

then i sent letters
starting with
dear, i have
been saving
my pennies in
an old coffee can
been saving
what I can for
that tiara you wanted

eventually and as
the days go, the postman
told me he saw you
driving a new Mustang
down Jackson Street
of course
in some ways i wanted
to tell you
all the fighting
made me feel
alive.

i hope you
don’t think this
an apology.