Boat

Fragmented as a boat broken apart by waves

at this point she’s just cutting herself open

it’s the care she fears

He wraps his coral rocks in

dear

soft

hand knitted sweaters

to protect them from summer and

human skin

When she tried to leave she fell into his moat

his swamp

his disturbed

his distorted pond

stepping on illusions of rocks she went up to her waist

in stale bacteria

He looks at him while he mouths his sassy words to her

She thinks, “We both don’t believe you.”

Locking each door behind him

closing her in where he can see her

over and again she climbs

up and down slivered stairs

she hears the click of the keys

island house has no place for hearts