I tell myself
he won your heart
fair and square,
as though your heart
was a prize
awarded to the victor
in some competition
you have no say in,
when, in fact,
your heart is yours,
to give
as you see fit,
all or part,
and if you give it at all,
that is your right too,
as you gave it
to me, once,
then, eventually,
retrieved it,
my fingers too tight,
or not tight enough,
whatever reason
your reason,
and your reason alone,
all decisions regarding your heart
yours to make,
alone.
Edward Lee’s poetry, short stories, non-fiction, and photography have been published in magazines in Ireland, England, and America, such as The Stinging Fly, Skylight 47, Acumen, The Blue Nib, and Poetry Wales. His poetry collections include A Foetal Heart, Bones Speaking With Hard Tongues, To Touch The Sky And Never Know The Ground Again, and The Heart As Dust Lost In The Wind.
He also makes musical noise under the names Ayahuasca Collective, Orson Carroll, Lego Figures Fighting, and Pale Blond Boy. His blog/website can be found at https://edwardmlee.wordpress.com
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