The moment you awake
and allow yourself to believe
I should sleep five more minutes
nothing worthwhile will happen in these

The moment you decide to not
tell that stranger how beautiful her family is
on the subway how they embrace
child on hip prepared for the day

The moment you make fun of yourself
for an accolade deep down you think you deserve
but feel too small to own up to
so you play it down, adhere to social cues

The moment you spite her shiny shoes
scoff that such frivolities you wouldn’t stoop to
when really you wish they were strapped to you
along with the purse and the earrings too

The moment someone asks
if the man your dating will be your last
and you hesitate and say we’ll see what happens—
shit, these things weren’t meant to add up to that

Undo, undo, that ephemeral key
apple z, I meant to mean what I said which was
yes, yes I do.  I love him I love him
more than fantasy understands.