WHEN WE FIRST START OUT
I THOUGHT OUR LOVE
MIGHT FOLLOW THE
TRADITION OF GOOD WINE
AND GET BETTER WITH AGE.
INTO OUR RELATIONSHIP
I THOUGHT OUR LOVE
MIGHT LIKE CHEESE
FERMENT AND BECOME MELLOW.
AND AT THE END
OFOUR RELATIONSHIP
I COMPARE YOUTO
A WINE MADE
WITH SOUR GRAPES
THAT EVENTUALLY
TURNED TO VINEGAR.
IN THE AFTERMATH
OF OUR RELATIONSHIP
I CAN COMPARE MYSELF
TO A LOAF OF BREAD
THAT AS A DOUGH
WAS CAREFULLY KNEADED
AND ALLOWED TO RISE
TO FULLNESS
BUT AFTER BEING
BAKED, SLICE,
AND LEFT UNCOVERED
EXPOSED TO THE AIR
I, LIKE THE BREAD
MERELY BECAME HARD.
