all these places we replace the spaces. outstretched land and an outstreched hand. over due and late fees and early calls so hasty. she calls says i love you i love you so and then were gone into separate homes lonely families true places where we are squirming and tossing in bed from dreams of skiing down these years and spraying snow a cross stitch across all the phone lines girlish whines heavy breathing and fears. so i raise my beer and you raise your milk and we knock them sideways. so cheers. heres to open spaces tucked shoe laces. a million happy faces. and your health. every time i write it sounds more and more like a drama queen. so im packing up and sucking in. my paper gut. like a clean clean cut. im sharper now after drying up. and im crying now to keep from shrivling up. it just never seems to be enough.