the person I love most

answering my 4 in the morning calls asking who was that poet you always used to quote
(Yevtushenko)
I’m so sorry
I had to know

Anabel,
You could murder twelve people
Tattoo your entire body,
Run away to China,
(or anywhere else you desire)
Have a record in each state,
Children on each continent
Drop out of school,
Take up prostitution

And I would still love you

more than anything
(or anyone)

in the entire world

My precious baby,
my baby-

You can’t understand
Until you have a child.


but I think I do

4:12 in the morning,

and you quote it
again,

For having ceased to love you I do not ask your pardon,
I ask to pardon me for having loved you once