Her Absence

Katrina Kaye

I do not regret the days

I spent loving you in her absence.

I do not regret

your tempered touches

as you searched for her skin

under my scales

or the way your eyes reflected

her sharp chin and freckled chest

when they fell on my frame.

I do not regret

the fleeting space we created,

morning gestures

in the folds of sheet and flesh.

Tending your wounds

with tongue and time.

You found solace

with your elbows on my table,

your dirty feet in my bed,

but she was ever present

upon the waves of your thoughts.

Your ears keen for her voice,

but I heard it first,

soft as the buzz of bumble bees on the beach

calling you home.

I do not regret

returning to a solitary balcony

above the ocean’s turning point,

or slipping inside my bed,

still warm in your place.

As you kiss my hands

in gratitude of my hospitality,

my kindness,

don’t leave thinking,

I am emptied.

I gave what I wanted,

no more,

no less.

More from Katrina Kaye ↓

• @poetkatrinakaye on Instagram
• You can read more of her poetry on her website poetkatrinakaye.com

You can see me read Her Absence @rembrandts.cure on Instagram.

Mentioned in this episode:

Write After with One Poem Only

Write After is a way to encourage poets to listen and write, and use National Poetry Month to highlight how listening to poetry makes us better poets. I know I write the best when I’m surrounded by beautiful poetry–it’s part of the reason I created this podcast, and I want to encourage others to share this practice. If you want to join: Listen to a poem from the month of April on One Poem Only, then write your own in response. I will pick one for each day to read in June for a special series: One Poem After 🍎🍏 Submissions close May 15.

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