i gave it all up today
to a long-haired creature on the bus
stuck somewhere between boy and man
who was looking for a heart

i let him have mine
because i happened to have it with me
and his mouth made strange sounds
as he bit down with pale teeth

through the cellophane wrapper

through the stringy flesh

right into the middle




all jellied with too-much-time
and curdled with disillusionment






his face soured when he found the pit


(that dark, wrinkled mass of solid you keep inside, too)





he handed it back to me
half-eaten and unwanted,
wiping my juice from the corners of his mouth
with long and translucent fingers

he got off at the next stop without another word,
leaving me with a bleeding fruit in my hands










i've never loved anyone so violently.