Real Romantic
by Rachelle Toarmino
You feel like such a bonus
meeting me where I’m at
Nothing pleases me like life
in quotes in an obit
The impulse toward the lyric
is a private thing
and I’m a real insider
The sentence pulled back by its hair
settles into a miraculous
decoy for sense
Try telling a romantic
it’s not as real as it feels
I get hopeful
looking the part
So what if love is my form
Love is first of all
and the rest of it all also
I unnerve for you
wanting to go all the way
but I haven’t
Quick question—
What do you want from me
Short answer—
You can have it