My Boy

- Betwixt: Phase III - Poem I -

So he descended the stairs when he got home, resplendent,

My confidence was all gone, he’d just broken my heart

He listened to Charli and hyper-pop songs,

While I wandered around for hours at Walmart

I’ve never washed the blue sweater I last hugged him in,

You could say I’m a sentimental type of man

I’m the bard with a broken compass,

Meanwhile, he’s at his new place in Fate, strumming alone in new lands 

My boy used to make music tailored to our stories,

He plays the piano like it’s confessional work

I still believe he’ll make of big someday,

Even if I’m stranded alone here biting at my fork

But he’s my boy now, and that’s all that matters,

His name’s Gabriel, but he only answers to Gabe

I wonder what songs he made from our time apart,

Now, for us, it’s just the start of a new age

Your sister will ask how we’re doing this time, and we’ll say “just fine,”

She hadn’t seen me since February, when all was good

I’ll have coffee with your mom and dad and talk about the acres they’ll buy,

And take care of your brothers, who are all clearly in a childlike mood

But did the news of my absence travel to your family in Australia?

Was I important enough to be addressed as an ex or former boyfriend?

I dreamed of bringing you to my high school friends’ weddings, 

We’d watch them celebrate while we both held hands

For now, I only have Isabella and Caroline by my side,

They were there for the crashout side of a Trader Joe’s 

Both would ask me how I’ve been, but I couldn’t say it without crying,

So Caroline and I would just wander around Lowes

My sister is waiting and serving tables for a bigger future,

My hair went bleach blonde, and I grew out my mustache

You’d always wanted me to grow it out long,

So I finally did it, even though we didn’t last

And my boy used to make music that referenced Taylor,

He plays the guitar like a star 

I still believe he’ll make of big someday,

Even if one day, he’ll move very far

But he’s my boy now, and that’s that,

His name’s Gabe, never answers to Gabriel

I wonder what tunes he made from my time away,

Now, for us, it’s just the start of a new fable

This is the year I rewrote endings,

Told his family over cider and sighs

Yes, he left, but I stayed,

Praying for one day,

We both unwrapped the ache and found each other again

So my boy came home on the 23rd,

We returned together,

My boy and I