Bitter Love

It would taste

like artificial cherry syrup,

it would look

like FD&C Blue #1,

(“the flavor of technology,”)

if my words were sweet cane to your eyes,

if they cooed like

the perfect mother

in your burning, innocent ears,

nursery rhymes

with no higher ambition

than for you to be happy,

with the mouthfeel

of a candy shell

rather than the alkalinity

of a bitter vegetable

“mom” made you eat.