she speaks to me now, a memory of rain and lemons.
she loves me like i never known love before and
i cry for the years i spent cursing her name.
she says
‘ love yourself darling cause nobody gonna love you the way you wanna be loved
the way you outta be loved
love yourself and love others the way they deserve to be loved
never love like a man
half-hearted
selfish
condescending
that aint love
men love by taking pieces of you
put you in a plastic bag
under the bed
stick you on the bottom of his shiny shoe
and if he really love you he gonna lay you on his lap
wrap his fist with sandpaper and file you down real good
love yourself darling
and demand to be loved the way you outta be loved’