CATCHING ON FIRE AT A TEA HOUSE IN PORTLAND (A POEM)
I caught on fire once
At a tea house in NW Portland
I caught on fire once
And all the waitress could do
Was throw a wet towel on me
And apologize
The huge, gaping hole in my jacket
Won’t forgive and it definitely
Won’t forget
That I caught on fire once in a tea house in NW Portland
Right after you burnt a huge gaping hole in my chest
In my chest, right next to my heart
Beating weakly now,
My heart won’t forgive
And it definitely won’t forget
That you burnt a huge gaping hole in my chest
The winter that I first moved to Portland
And it’s happened a million times since
And I definitely don’t forget
But I keep all the things that are damaged
The goods that someone decided weren’t good enough anymore
Or maybe they never were
I carry these things to remind me
That only I know why these items still hold up
In spite of holes + burn scars
They still hold up
