Crows Feet

I remember falling in love with you
it was car-sick heavy and heaving my organs in public
licking stamps for the quick pinch of salt and glue
pressing them down cockeyed
pressing them down cockeyed for you

I remember hating the years of your voice
the weight of your consonants pulling me south
towards myself, towards the sky, towards
the ugly incline of your empty mouth
that pressed me down from behind
pressed me down from behind your voice

I remember eating a stack of bread
alone in a motel room outside of St. Paul
dancing on the mattress that talked back to my heels
that kind of talk that lets the letters maul
your abdomen, with your back pressing
your back pressing against the wall
until it takes out your love
it takes out your love and uses it
to re-paint the upstairs hall.

I remember falling in love with you
back when bit my nails on the weekends
and drove a yellow car
that you made fun of I was just this child
with a bad haircut perched at the bar
it was a long time ago,
that someone cared enough to leave a scar
it's been too long since I was pressed,
pressed into the jar