#November Notes, Day 3, Song: The Other Side of Paradise

Another Paradise

He went chasing a gold-fangled dream

out west, leaving me. I know he didn’t mean

to hurt me, but gold’s like a magnet to some;

its stare like a hither come. I waited

for phone calls that didn’t come.

He disappeared into the sum.

His friend’s girl’s got a baby

His friend stays home plays daddy

His friend knows he’s no star

His friend’s got scars to prove it.

I’m a waitress in a dive bar.

He’s driving Porsches and Maseratis, fancy cars.

His eyes flip dollar signs and gold bars.

My reality’s pocketing tips, humming Life on Mars.

We spoke once, his voice spinning 399 horsepower.

His thoughts bees caught in a shower, he didn’t hear me fear,

just the ka-chings of mystical money, gold like honey,

he laughed, at nothing funny, someone called him “sonny”

in the background. He hung up, no goodbye.

I thought he and me would have a baby.

I’ve given up on maybe, go to work, study,

dust to rid the ghost of him, lost on the distant coast.

11/3/2016

S. Darlington