That Time I Took Off the Rose-Colored Glasses By Skaja Evens

You told me that you fall in love 

With anyone who shows you kindness

I did

Yet you didn’t fall in love with me

I wondered why, for awhile

And now, some time later

I can say I am glad you didn’t

Whether you realized I deserved better than you could offer, I can’t say

But I am glad I didn’t become enmeshed

We’d never be good together as a couple

We barely were as lovers

Though you did remind me that I can’t settle

For half-assed groping 

And half-realized orgasms

My apologies for sounding harsh

Though I’m not really sorry

I didn’t sign up to watch your

self-destruction

Skaja Evens is a writer and artist living in Southeast Virginia. She runs It Takes All Kinds, a litzine published by Mōtus Audāx Press. She’s also been published with Spillwords Press and The Dope Fiend Daily. She can often be found listening to music, considering the impossible, and enjoying her cats’ antics.