i told her that they were aspen trees

when I really wanted to say:

“they’re connected at the roots.
sometimes you’ll get whole forests
that way. one can get sick and infect
the whole grove. martyrdom

has always been my love language.
i’d pick your blight every time
if you’d pick me from a crowd.
you make our goodbye my favorite

part of the day; getting to say
‘i love you’ with all the flare
girls our age use. and i mean it
every time, even if you’re not listening.

even if you look and only see trees.”

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