Don’t Ask If I Miss You. Poem by Sallie Howson

Don’t ask me if I miss you.
I’m not some schoolgirl
Who’s lost her mobile phone.
Thumb still twitching
In her pocket.

Don’t ask if I miss you.
I’m not a smoker
On a long haul flight
Fingering a Marlboro
And eyeing the loo,
Biting off the head
Of some poor steward
Who put milk
In my tea.

Don’t ask if I miss you.
I’m not a poet
With a good idea
And a bad memory
Searching for a pen
That works.

Don’t ask if I miss you.
I’m a woman
Who’s lost her better half,
Her reason to get up in the morning,
Her breath and
Her life.

I don’t miss you,
I’m dead
Without you.