Katrina DeKett

Papered Love Poem

 

999.

1 more and peace.

 Half over half, color side up.

 1 more and peace.

 Shaky hands.

Shakier with than when loving words were scripted on this paper.

 Flip to the white side.

 I fold your words in half, creasing along the sloppy words of affection.

 1 more and peace.

 Paper snowstorms erupt.

 Paper snow, cold, flurries of chilling wind force my eyes shut.

 I remember.

 Your love.

 My paper walls you burned with a match so hot

 Flame, Crimson that rushes up, spilling over my shoulders, igniting my skull on fire.

Red. Red. Fervent Red.

 No.

 Breathe.

 Fold. Fold.

 Breathe.

 1 more and peace.

 Top corners to bottom corners.

 Press exactly, firmly.

 Press your paper lips to mine.

 Press your scribbled xʼs and oʼs to my paper heart.

 Paper heart so easily manipulated - so easily torn.

Line over line, fold over perfect fold, hiding your words.

 You can hurt me no longer.

 You can tear me no more.

1 more and peace.

 Precisely crease and unfold gently

 And clasp and unclasp hands in prayer.

Paper prayers that I will let myself love you no longer.

 Folding in your old love, to let it fly away.

Press inward.

 Suppress this feeling.

Repress these feeling.

 Oppression.

 Digression.

 Breathe.

 Fold.

Breathe.

 Fold.

 Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

 Palms up.

Hands up.

Stop.

Go no further.

1 more and peace.

Paper memories, folding and fleeting away.

 Rushing. Yelling.

 Palms up - raised.

 Palms down to strike this paper cheek - striking my paper heart.

This cheek, this cheek bleeds a fresh paper cut.

 No. No more.

 1 more and peace.

Fold in the center.

Center heart.

 Center mind.

 Center strength.

Find the paper center.

 You were my center.

Careful crease up.

 Careful crease up.

 Rise up.

 Fold these to allow me to stand shakily on these paper legs.

 1 more and peace.

 Bend and crease the head.

 Bowed in reverence.

 In paper prayers.

 In torn hopes.

 1 more.

 Fold wings.

 No.

 I will not.

 Use love’s two edged sword

 Use scissors.

 Clip my wings.

 I no longer wish to fly.