Lorelai
What I never told you leaving the hospital
was I got denied the extension,
how San Francisco rush hour
holds me by my jugulars
just thinking about it.
Because “procedure” is a far scarier word to hear
when before you’d said It’s just a burn. Which is
how I learned you’d downplayed your hand
for my sake. Because you knew I’d do such a thing
as drive 90 on a 60 from campus
just to go get you,
and the truth is: yes,
I’d do it again. In my car, you said you said your ex’s name
when the nurse popped your blister,
a crinkled white petal flapping
from where he took your ring finger—
I love you. What will make you believe me?
*
Gavin Garza was raised in the Institute of Basic Life Principles, a Christian cult. Today, he is a Best of the Net nominated Chicano poet studying English at the University of California, Berkeley. His work has appeared in Eucalyptus Lit, MudRoom, The Acentos Review, Bleach!, and several more. Garza stays rooted to Fresno, California. Find him on Instagram @gavinopoet.
