home improvement



it’s easy to be called darling


hold it close under my skin


a glowing marble


beating with every step from the


train into the world


wet dogs on the street


insomnia trails me like a lost lover


a day alone with you would be


so short so


circular a


hot bracelet clamped


around my blueing wrist


I’ll make it more than it is I am


incorrigible I will want you


I’ll slurp your soul like a first martini


I’ll grasp your limbs like wet ropes


I’ll make myself shut up


I’ll buy you dinner and feel grown about it


I’ll plant herbs I’ll read as much as you do


I’ll burn the memories of my youth


I’ll blank-slate it


I’ll kiss the day off your palms


I’ll sit down when you ask me to


I’ll buy new clothes but sneakily


I’ll be home when you get back


I’ll learn the names of wines


and constellations


and birds


and trees


I’ll let you hold me with the lights on


I’ll let you say it


I’ll say I know


I’ll say I’m sorry


I’ll mean it less after a while


I’ll smash my secret into conversation


like a big wet messy egg


I’ll leave when I’m not wanted


I’ll get really good at chess


I’ll stop having to google references


I’ll try on silence at the movies


I’ll look you in the eye for once


I’ll keep looking


Yes?


Yes?


You do?


You do?


You would?


You would?


You would?





Isabella Willms-Jones is a poet and copywriter in Philadelphia. 
instagram: @bellaivanawj
Mark