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