So Sweet The Love! Poem by Dónall Dempsey

So sweet the love
so bitter the break up

the heart-shaped
watch

you bought me
to confirm our relationship

I now hand back
(having no time for it)
& you try to hand it back

& I give it back
& you give it back

& so on
back & forth until

you throw it
on the ground

& in a temper tantrum
grind your stiletto

into it
as if

you were
trying to stamp it out

all the love
you put into it

this the gift
of you.

The watch pleads
for its life

in useless tick tocks

& unlike
my heart

remains unbroken
steadfast to the last.

You pick it up
& drive off

in a fury.

I cry the tears


I couldn’t cry
with you


...without you.

They blur the sky
stain it until it runs
into sunset.

A seagull blown inland
observes all this

&
laughs.