In the scablands
I was his sour rose
made from the brittle peel
of a dark and shriveled lime.
I wore heartache on Tuesdays
and stilettos on workdays—
cradling my rusted pride
with strength just enough to throw halite
on the trail of slush
left by his insensate heart.
He simply laughed, depravedly,
Corona spraying from his nose,
until the sting
and watery-eyed regret
saw my frozen eyes, obsidian, indifferent—
to his suffering of half-drunk burns.
© 2013 Jennifer Wagner
For Laurie Kolp’s prompt at Poetry Jam.
*Halite-aka rock salt, used to melt ice.
*Mexican beer and lime can cause burn marks similar to
that of a jellyfish sting.