Dream I’m at the mall, say, “I love you,” ten times or more.
          I like pretending more when I’m not the only one doing it.
                   Think about calling you up and breathing down the line. 
                                  Think about sitting  in front of your house all night. 
    
Say, “I’m at the mall,” dream I love you ten times or more. 
        Do you think about it too? Always chewing on my brainstem. 
                   I won’t tell anyone. This time, I promise, I won’t tell anyone.  
                                Put your hand on the back of my neck and squeeze. Hard. 

Dream I’m you, at the mall, ten times. “I love more.” Say it. Say it.
             It’s mostly a teeth-clenched affair. Tongue bitten red and raw. 
                       My mouth has always been a pool of blood. You should know.
                                You used to drink from it. Do you remember how it tastes?
    
I love the mall. Dream you ten times. Ten times. Say “more.” 
             The other shoe drops right on top of my head, every time.
                         Check my email like it’s going to bring something back- 
                                   Curl up in a bed that isn’t mine, click all the lights off.