Lindsey Royce: Packing His Things
Weary, I empty the dryer,
smooth wrinkles from his clothes.
Work shirts stained with oil paint
rest neat in the suitcase
next to his jeans.
In the bathroom, I pack his toothbrush,
his toothpaste, razor, and deodorant.
I give up his flannel I sleep in,
stash framed photos in a drawer.
When I try to close the holes
in my home, the half-empty closet
and medicine chest,
they won’t fill up, they’re gravity
pulling me into emptiness.
Now, I long for one of those shirts,
his scent of sweat and paint,
to cover the dent on his side of the bed,
so, when I roll over, I
don’t fall into the future.
Copyright 2019 Lindsey Royce. From Play Me a Revolution by Lindsey Royce published by Press 53.
Beautiful and heart breaking.
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Beautifully written, brought tears to me.
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