Vow

I promise, there’s no way you could be anything but the
inside of a spider web. You aren’t human at all the way
your lips curl into a string thumb-tacked maze across
cork boards directing to the next paper clipping
with names scribbled over faces in red ink.
I promise you couldn’t be anything but dust
in the palm of my hands spread over the grooves
of my knuckles, knocked over the concrete
when I got to the bottom of the chalk stick.
I promise that you couldn’t be more than
the apple I plucked from the bowl on the counter
and I knew the green ones were better but
you couldn’t be anything more than
the red picnic blanket on the lawn next to the lake
and you promised you wouldn’t let the ducks
take my shoes. I promise you couldn’t be
anything but the tree in the courtyard when
Nichelle took all your Chinese food but you
just looked at me and smiled and I promise
that’s who you are when I look at you.

©Jordyn Rhorer 2010