What You Don’t Know

Graphic by Shay Suban

You’re not the girl of my dreams.

You’re the girl of my just-before-falling-asleep,

the girl of my trying thoughts on for size,

the girl of my fingers resting carefully at the top of my leg

and thinking about where else I could place my hands,

when I’m sucking on a spoonful of honey

and pondering the way things taste,

the girl when my eyes just won’t close

and when my breathing can’t slow

and my heart—no,

but you’re the girl of my shoulders shifting lonely and cold

and my cheek pushing into the pillow

and me tossing and turning and spinning

artful lies for you.