Prom Queen’s Lament

Saadia Ali Aschemann

When he’s away
he tells me that he
misses
the hollow of my neck
and the length of my legs
the dark of my hair
and the white of my teeth
I love the way you look
(he tells me)
I wish
that he missed
the strength of my thoughts
and my keen wit
the push of my belief
and the pull of my words
I want him
to tell me
that he misses
(that he loves)
my mind