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the one who might
she has been looking for someone,
since before she knew the word for wanting,
“please, have you seen this person?”
someone who’s tall and strong
when she scratched her knees
falling down the monkey bars
—he can catch her when she falls, and lift her like she's air
someone who's kind and has a puppy
when she first held
a fluffy life in her arms
—it can play with them and their daughter
someone who’s capable and independent
when her parents insisted that
she must become or marry a doctor
—he’d take her to a foreign land, where metaphors are embraced
someone who would cherish her
when she thought she would marry
the man who made her say ‘sorry’ in four languages
—he would know to trust her rather than the slithering voices of fear
someone who would love her
when she can write an essay
on how her depression makes her a family failure
—he might be the only one that can read her without judgment
she looks and asks and prays and cries
before the next day arrives,
“please, if he’s there... please reply.”
“He’s standing right here,”
“just past the last thing you can recall.”
“By the squeaky old gate that tomorrow will find,”
“but he can only stay in tomorrow.”
“How do I know which tomorrow?”
(a low chuckle)
“You don’t.”
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Quote from contest 'Choose a Line 3 Poetry Contest' sponsored by Joseph May: "By the squeaky old gate that tomorrow will find"
Copyright ©
Jasmine Tsai
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