Hell on Wheels
by Emily Vaudeville
Going too fast down a country road, screaming
I put my hands on my head & said a quick prayer
You stopped the car before we got to the highway
And asked me why I was crying & why I was scared
​
It was you.
It was always you.
We retraced our steps &
Landed back where we came
A hotel room of anger,
Regret, and shame
You downed the whole bottle
& went back to rest your head
When 3am hit you asked
Why I’m on the couch instead
​
It was you.
It was always you.
Silence was booming
The next day on our way home
At least I know that
I was honest
You dropped off my bags
& forced me to hug you
& said we’d always have
Something beyond this
But we won’t.
Because it’s you.
It was always you.
image: Benjamin Chambers Brown, “Poppies, Antelope Valley,” before 1942
intimi-DATE
by Emily Vaudeville
I just wanted to have a nice getaway
But I set myself up for all those games you play
Where you fuck it all up & blame me anyway
When you realized a man is what I wanted
You turned into a child & hounded & taunted
Now my soul is left alone to be haunted
A series of failures is all you have now
I feel bad for the women as you prance on the prowl
You’ll trick them & get them & I don’t know how