Poem: Red Apple Flavored Regret

She offers me a red apple
After my second beer
And I shake my head
Less than her hand shakes
From the withdrawals

Sitting on the floor
I watch her lying 
Curled on the sofa
Where she’s been sleeping
For the past two weeks

I saw her in the rain
Down in Baltimore
And she tried to talk
Me into letting her in
To my bed again

We’d been down that path
Of destruction for us both
I told her no thanks 
She took it personally
Like she always does

To show no hard feelings
I offered my couch 
Where she could dry off
And dry out if she wanted
I wanted her too

Now she’s eating an apple
Cut through the middle
Because she always did like
Doing things differently
From everyone else

In between crunching bites
I watch lips move savoring
Each piece with a little smile
At the juicy treat and I feel
Myself falling in love again

The heart itself is stupid
Without the brain to chaperone
And four drinks in its unrestrained
Watching the girl on the couch
I know it’s going to go bad 

Bad decisions never stopped me
No point in starting now I think
Smiling in return at her smile
She says the couch is getting cold
And I tell her the bed is warmer

Like any good memory
Regret has smells and tastes
With her it’s a ripe red apple
Sweet and juicy and savory 
Until you get to the core