Whenever it snows.
John C. Polles
I hope you think of me
Whenever it snows.
I hope you think of me every time
Lady Gaga comes on shuffle—
You & I and Joanne.
(Did you take him to see A Star is Born?)
Whenever you step inside a Barnes & Noble,
I hope that bookstore smell
brings it all back,
makes you remember
us between the shelves,
holding hands and
stealing kisses like teenagers.
(Did you ever read those books I gave you?)
Every time you drive at night with
streetlights instead of stars—
My hand missing from your thigh,
my head gone from your shoulder.
(Does he sit like that?)
I hope you think of me
whenever you see a
toy unicorn at Target—
They’re everywhere right now.
(Did you ever find another one?)
Whenever you look down at the
tattoo on your left arm—
(Does it still remind you of someone?)
In bed,
in the dark,
I hope you can still feel
my arms around you,
my bare size 14s against
your gray socks—
Sole to sole.
(Can he hold you like I did?)
I hope you think of me
Whenever it snows.