Pen Pals Poem by Charles Malcolm

I might sputter and spit.
Smoke, drink, and screw too fast.
Learn too slow.
I wait too long
and am far too short.
I write.
I wrong.
I know everything about you
but I can't find the right words.

Some writer.

You stumble and smile.
Smoke, drink, and screw too slow.
Move too fast.
Temper too short
and a list far too long.
You write.
You wrong.
You know everything about me
but you beg for certain words.

Some reader.

I kind of like our broken spines.
The burnt pages and ugly bookmarks.

I read too much into things,
people say,
and maybe they're right,

but I love this story.