“Written by the Winners” by Ramna Safeer

This is the history of fuck you for
making me soft, for making me maleable,
for doing more than just testing my waters,
fuck you for making the oceans of me
feel so puddle at the sight of you.
This is the history of my mattress,
that has seen more mistakes
than I am sober enough to remember.
This is another man’s neck
and your name whispered against it.
This is not forgetting. This is trying to.
This is not enough ways to give up
as I thought there would be, only the one
with your caller ID and a hangover.
This is the history of love.
This is a rare thing, a history
written by one who did not win.