groceries

expiration dates are meant

for things like milkandeggs, written lazily on a crumpled yellow sticky note

folded and thrown in a purse too soon

the ink dragging between the letters

expiration dates are not meant

for things like love, things that are

not really thing-like at all

but you plastered a sell-by date onto my forehead

and kissed it too soon

the ink dripping, seeping darkness into my eyes