one wednesday, over whatsapp, my ex calls me a heartless asshole
Emily Rose Miller
i see the notification on my phone screen
and i move to it like a sunflower facing the sun.
nausea churns storms in my stomach
at the thought of what she might say now,
even though i have only withdrawn
to protect myself. i grasp hope as tightly
as a child holds a dandelion, and lose it
just as swiftly as the wind blows its feathery seeds.
her words suck all energy
from me. i wilt. the leaves of my body
droop down, withering. the waxy petals
of my mind turn frail and brown
like the paper bags that held our lunch
as we walked down a wide london street
on an august day when i was naïve
enough to believe she would
fight for me and i would
be sturdy enough to support her.
Emily Miller is currently an undergraduate senior at Saint Leo University in St. Leo, Florida, where she is studying English with a specialization in creative writing. Her work has been published in The Dandelion Review, Sand Hill Review, and is forthcoming in The Dollhouse and Inklette. When not writing, she can be found cuddling with her five cats and/or devouring frozen pizza. Connect with her on Instagram @actualprincessemily.
