Lovekill

by Francesca Lia Block & Lilly Barels

His hands unmarred
Mine egg brown speckled
His face nearly lineless
I inject toxins, mine still wrinkles

There’s a line in his book
“It’ll make you stronger”
But he can’t promise that
He can’t erase this weakness

A flock of blackbirds dot my vision
His eye goes cloudy
I have my children and my dog
He’s alone — a small white room

We sit, thigh to thigh
watching the rain
It washes words away
He reaches, wants them back

Love until it kills you
because you’re never going
to kill the love