One Poem
by Joe Gallagher
Choose how you want
your love poem to begin
Opening the door to let a bird fly in
The dog laying a cicada half-dead at your feet
Cutting everything in half so you can decide what fits together
Losing a piece of yourself to prove a point, like a poisonous mushroom
Counting the times we lied to one another
Picking up a pinecone to give it a kiss
While you’re in the shower
Soft to the touch, like furry caterpillars
A rabbit surprising me while I take the garbage out
Listing all my mistakes again
When that luna moth landed on the porch screen in Charleston
On the night we had 12 beers
A photo of you in a yellow dress in a house with no furniture
Moving out or moving in
With the lights off
With your hands tied
With the arrival of everything we ordered online
With my confession that I cannot be satisfied
You, having satisfied all my conditions
Joe Gallagher was born and raised in Orlando, FL. He now lives in Frederick, MD where he runs an independent press and media company called Rainbow Skull. His poetry and short fiction have appeared in Okay Donkey, Carolina Quarterly, DIAGRAM, Corium, Scapegoat, MIDLVLMAG, and Redivider. He has a wife who writes novels, two small children, and one large dog. Instagram: @jgonestudio. Find all his links at giantglowingrainbowskull.com