Take It or Leave It

your gum-chewing is so
take-it-or-leave-it
when it can not be
how you feel
your lips still curve
to meet your mother's tit
and other wonderful
skin solutions to the bleed
of starving hearts
I'm falling apart
even as I look at you
but you needn't pretend
just tend and er and ness
and show me no less
than eyes that want me
and we'll have admitted it
so that we can cleanse
you of your denial
and me of my awful answer