Deciding Her Multiplication

Children written in long words. Forgetting what they mean. Fighting with the pencil over what to lines to draw. The emtpy page more of a comfort than all the friends I've ever known.

The planets laugh at us from afar. Treating the universe like a cold sore. Biting my lip until I can find a real cure. Balloons that don't leave just because the string has broken. Words that don't recall wh we started.

Calm factories of people selling us to ourselves.

Until there's no one else left.

Except the dolls we've undresssed.

Steady in her multiplication.

She's still counting.

Trying to decide who to hate. And when.