From Deb, Write a poem in 10-minutes or less, 250 words or less. Include the following three phrases:

“I tie a ribbon in a foolish way”
“The delicious fragility of this travesty”
“Where we still laugh and wish”
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I can’t stand the delicious fragility of this travesty one second longer.
His face was twisted and red.
I’m sorry, I said. Were you talking to me or rehearsing a line?
I looked at my mud-splattered feet instead of his eyes.
I thought of summer ending and other endings and
I rocked forward on my toes, trying to lift myself
From the spot where we still laugh and wish.
Or anyway, the place where he does still.
I’m done with it there.
I tie a ribbon in a foolish way, remember.
He’d pointed it out once
And never let me forget it.
Gravity kept me on the ground but it’s a
Vertical force so instead
I spun on my heel and walked in
A new direction
To a place where I’ll tie ribbons
However the hell I want.