I Wanted To Tell You The Truth Poem by RIC BASTASA

i wanted to tell you the truth
i have long wanted to tell all these to you
years and years
i agonize on the sealing of my lips
my tongue likes to kick out my teeth
rubbing itself on the sides of the gum
my throat is dry
saliva is useless
i have long desired to tell you
about the unwanted departure
my sickness on the sea
the long hours listening to the
engine of the ship
i spoke to myself alone
on that long journey
i arrived at the port with no one meeting me
on that strange land
on that planks of indifference

i have long wished to have the last dialogue with you
but you are no longer there

you wrote a poem
about the naughty boy who shouted 'Fox! fox! fox! '

i've read it.
I gave up.