Love Poem: Shifting of Gears
Bella Cardenas Avatar
Written by: Bella Cardenas

Shifting of Gears

Stereo on, lightly, interrupting 
sounds of unease
Clicking of the left turning arrow
Chops into
Displeased auras, romantically 

He seeks it
Desperately
Through every glance
Blinking away in the dark
Hands on the steering wheel
white knuckled

Driving on reluctantly 

Feeling his power
Slipping away

Because he can’t let his woman get away

Analyzing things
So small but they could mean
So much 
Squeezing out memories
Every last drop 

Shifting gears

She sits, silent, staring out at the road
Buckled  in as tightly as he could get her
Wishing on stars that seemed to brighten
Suddenly

Why did she not see them before?

Dreaming of dreams so long ago
To her it seems like endless revolutions
Of the fan in the bedroom
Always, swallowing bitter pills
For his sake, for his sake
To appease him, to make up for 

All the times she could have been

A better lover
Something always a lot more then she could give

But she doesn’t have to put up with his grasp
Tightened fist
anymore


And the stars shine brighter then they ever had before