Draft

You were trying to remember a word. I waited. We were used to waiting. It was ordinary. That was the whole of it. Nothing was finished. We were used to that.

I waited. We were used to waiting. You had something else to tell me— Nothing was finished. We were used to that. The word came back. You weren’t there for it.

You had something else to tell me— I’ve been drafting you ever since. The word came back. You weren’t there for it. This is the version where I let you speak.

I’ve been drafting you ever since. None of it sounds like you. This is the version where I let you speak. The other version — I keep burning it.

None of it sounds like you. I kept my mouth shut in the kitchen. The other version — I keep burning it. I gave you quiet. I thought I owed you that.

I kept my mouth shut in the kitchen. You never asked me to be. I gave you quiet. I thought I owed you that. I thought it would protect you. It didn’t.

You never asked me to be. It was ordinary. That was the whole of it. I thought it would protect you. It didn’t. You were trying to remember a word.