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:Qian Garuin 

~omet~in.!J tlf t~e Lone{!I Grauif.9 
<after .Qntel Itoom tiJJ «bwarb .Qopper> 

This new melancholy tastes 
of the bitter figs we had 
slathered in honey 
to drown their tough texture 
to force them to be sweet 
the way the August sun 
smothered me following 
the burial. 
I only knew her 
through grainy photographs 
Danny carried on pilgrimages 
back to Tiffin. 
I never cared enough 
to hate her diamond ring. 
I never thought of her breathing. 
And now Danny's spirited me 
away; here 
where they were and loved, 
where they conceived a newborn son. 

Perhaps it was an apology; 
perhaps it was unnecessary 
that eventually I dressed 
and left. 
The truth refused 
coercion. 
The page obstinately 
remained blank on her pillow 
the way it silently-
in brilliance-
was over. 

97