2^4 towns

They say love stings more in smaller towns
in cities where streets align directly under the sun
pointing to the city center

in my city, it takes one the distance of three long streets
to contain a whole city, shops for fun
windows for viewings

all is sold separately, the restaurants are parked
near the shoe shops, all sold
alone for the same game of couples

wandering I walk the city- alone
you have left and love stings in this
small town, the streets have your

foot marks, like a dog's in newly poured cement
your cigarettes, smells,
a thousand dancing gypsies

love is different in a smaller town
compacting the number of times one turns
to mistake a shadow in another man's beard

kisses we stole are subject to the microscopic
eye of the neighbor here, the florist there
they know your aunt and my father

we keep love in our hands, on our fingertips
in a smaller town, love has managed to walk every street
yet calling us both by our full names because isn't

that the daughter of x with the son of y
parading the highway, restless
on a summer night

in the city, long after your footstep
the daughters of x will walk with love
depart at the white gate

then turn to damn
the moment they fell in love
with a small city, in a tightly chocked city
of stone and brittle bone.