this ghosting thing (can be reduced thus:)

By Lorelei Bacht

unknown cubed quantities of salt

water, uncertain numbers of
time zones, nylon fishing

lines, parallels – how many states
strung between us? a wall

of usernames that won't

exactly      spell yours or
your mom’s, profile pictures

of knees,     pebbles,    blue-grey
outlines that refuse to say

why,     or     where. perhaps

three or four squares,
a snake and a ladder.

broken, rusty rudder.

do you watch my attempts?
read notifications?

a friend of a friend gives me that

smeared

look – everyone knows.      but what?

---

Lorelei Bacht's poetic work has appeared/is forthcoming in After the Pause, Barrelhouse, The Bitchin’ Kitsch, Sinking City, Harpy Hybrid Review, One Art, and elsewhere. They can be found on Twitter @bachtlorelei and on Instagram @lorelei.bacht.writer. They are currently watching the rain instead of working on a chapbook.