She:
Maybe the world
didn’t revolve
around your plans?
He:
Because liars succeed only
where there are men
who want to believe.
She:
Borderline loving –
enough to fuck,
not enough to be loved.
He:
He guides her fall from the curb,
sheds one happy tear for his good luck,
and feels better.
She:
She grew up too soon –
Her plastic pets left in the garage
My dusty little ponies
He:
He can only fall in love
while he’s already in love,
having no idea what love is.
She:
Her next steps are secrets.
Then again, maybe the world
doesn’t revolve around her plans?
The world has a thousand ways of not loving women
Written for GloPoWriMo 2026 Day 27:
Write your own poem in which all the verses contain the same number of lines (whether couplets, triplets, quatrains, etc.) and in which you give the reader instructions of some kind.
But I forgot to include any instructions, although you can read them between the lines.
This poem also includes several borrowed lines – all linked in the text – from A Kings (paraphrased), Ashley Guzman, Shayne Rich (paraphrased), Brendon Holder, Deanne Dee Daydreams. All on Substack.
The second stanza, I came across in Penguin’s The History of Lies but I forgot who said it! And the last line was taken from somewhere/someone that I have also failed to note! If it is you (or maybe it’s a famous quote), please let me know.
Oh yeah – the title is taken from the Mission of Burma song of the same name.
1994ever 