I Lie Here

KATE MULLEY

Gabi and I talk about music and high school and expression a lot. For this poem, inspired by my conversations with Gabi, I took lyrics from three of my favorite Fiona Apple songs from high school and crafted an erasure poem.

I don’t care

I say

You don’t say

You care

And this mind

This body

Cannot

Forget

You let me

Know you

You don’t know

When your gaze is

Too close

You set your spell

I wanted love

Once

And twice

Don’t make it a game

Don’t show your sorrow

Don’t

Go

My pride

I understand I am too proud

(Like a fool)

My head’s in the clouds

And what you seem

What you

Don’t

I don’t know

When I’ve been careless

I don’t know

Where I can begin to be

Done

I know the next

Will

Help

But

I’ve got these lies you tell me

And I need to

Know

What I need is

Courage

But you don’t understand

You say you give

And you lie

And you’ll hold

My soul

I am

Too smart

You’ll never understand why you cry

And I lie

Here