Moraine for Bob
You were never a man
in the television sense of the word.
I was never a wild Slinky
in the sex-club sense of a toy.
You were never a tobacco store
in the Modernist sense of a trope.
I was never a snowdrop
in the candy store sense of a treat.
You were never Day-glo
in the fashionista sense of a scarf.
I was never withyouallthetime
in the username sense of a self.
You were never a strumpet
in the toothache sense of an insult.
I was never a tooting horn
in the childhood sense of a game.
You were never a hole-in-my-heart
in the country singer sense of a vista.
I was never a paper doll
in the pyromaniac sense of a pal.
You were never a parenthesis
in the phony secret sense of a sign.
I was never red lipstick
in the pulp novel sense of a threat.
You were never a word
in the mystic sense of an obstacle.
I was never a shaking castanet
in the midnight sense of a song.
Copyright Credit: Joanna Fuhrman, “Moraine for Bob” from Moraine. Copyright © 2006 by Joanna Fuhrman. Reprinted with the permission of Hanging Loose Press.
Source: Moraine (Hanging Loose Press, 2006)