Lesson Poem by Anisa Tara

Do you remember the steep inclines, sweetheart?
The tree branches that scraped my car, swathing us
They were in retrospect asking us to turn back
But I was in too deep

Do you remember Bob?
I even had endearments for your stomach
And all of Bob's earnest protests that night
In retrospect, asking us to turn back
But I was in too deep

They begged us and we didn't heed them
Turn back the winding ways you came
Put back the kisses and hugs on the shelves
The sighs you've uttered, let them drift away
The words exchanged, bury them deep
But I was in too deep

Do you remember darling
The way the sky lit up for us that same night
When under such a canvas
You lied about the only beautiful thing in view
I should have taken it as a sign
When on the way down from those inclines
The stars hid their shiny array
Retreating into safe passage
Away from a girl who needed just one
To wish away what she knew was always coming
But I was in too deep

Do you remember us then
As we were on a haunted mountain
At an obscure intersection
Poor, poor Bob on the cold gravel
Garlic emanating from your lips
My heart broke a little to see you in pain
Do you remember how you said
I'd never kiss you now
And how I didn't wait for you to finish
It was stupid
I was stupid
I should have known
You should have known
But I was in far too deep

And it is all stupid
Because you were a lesson
We call them lessons
To lessen our perception of unfathomable loss
But how could I have use for a lesson
When I can't bring myself to love again