did you think i was sleeping
deconstructing an all-nighter
--
Did you think
I was sleeping
when you confessed you were afraid I would leave
Do you know
I leave the porch light off
when it snows for at least two days
Do you know
I leave the peppers out of our
omelettes, I watched you pick them last time
Do you know
I clean the kitchen counter
ev’ry time you make our pour overs
Do you know
I draft my poems on copy paper
instead of spiral notebooks
Do you know
I park my car one block
from our place, I need more time to think
Did you know
I bought cigarettes last Thursday
You know I don’t smoke, but I want to
Do you know
I wait to brush and floss
five minutes after you’ve done so
Did you know
I stopped buying my favorite gin
when we stopped making each other’s drinks
Did you know
I clean the baseboards
more thoroughly on your longer trips
Do you know
how much grilled chicken I eat
when your parents pay us a visit
Did you know
I drink orange pekoe tea
ev’ry night you slept somewhere else
Do you know
how much I want to write to you
Do I have enough pens and paper
Did you notice
I carry on conversations
while you sleep
I know how much to say
when to say it — full stop
