More Difficult

It’s getting more and more difficult to

eat a salad with catalina dressing and mushrooms without sickening at the memory of your failing to hold a conversation

for more than thirty seconds and your failing to have an opinion and your failing

to respect mine without ever giving

a reason why not.

It’s getting more and more difficult to

listen to the radio because they won’t stop playing those songs that you liked and

I didn’t like so much but pretended to

just so we could have something in common

and maybe consequently a basis for a relationship that went beyond a salad with catalina

dressing and mushrooms. —

It’s getting more and more difficult to remember the times when I found you

half interesting and to remember the reason I was so submissive in the first place and

to think of even one thing other than

the way you held your fork and the way you made me hold my breath that I ever

liked about you,

—A,. Arsenault

BI