La petit oiseau

“You smell like onions”
she’s got her scarf around my neck
our lips hold each other’s breath
and we separate. 

“I do not.”
There’s a broken letter on my desk
back home my brother asks me about her.
I sleep with another. 

“It’s cute.” 
For a second it’s just us again in bed,
hand in my pocket, late night walks,
so cold you can see the air freeze when we speak. 

“Goodnight little bird.” 
French, for a love language, is severely lacking
in that department - store where she works
I call her everyday. I don’t know how to say 

“I love you.” 
I’m on the UVA steps, I’ve seen her twice 
before, she’s going to ruin me.
I can’t wait for the fireworks. 

“Goodnight Woods.” 
There’s supposed to be explosions. Love popping- 
breaking, scaffolding, old buildings, jet fuel doesn’t burn
steel beams, it corrodes them

“Take back your airpod.” 
I once confessed I couldn’t return her love
that I missed late nights and morning walks of shame,
so she baked me cookies after sex. I think I want to marry her. 

“Keep it — I need a reason to see you tomorrow.” 
She looks prettier with her hair down, I look better
when I smile. The UVA girl said it’s obvious I’m in love. 
We talk about marriage like it’s second hand news. 

“I always do.”

 I do?

“Forever and always.”
There’s that look in the mirror I make sometimes,
when I know my thoughts aren’t my own
how do I confide in my lies? 

“Not even death do us part.”
She’s staring at me like it’s day one again. We’re 
in the woods, she isn’t yet named little bird,
and my lies haven’t caught up with us yet.

“I love you.” 

I do.

Greyson Fisher is a sophomore at William & Mary studying History & Business with a pursuit in the arts of escapism. He splits his free time between the International Relation Club, the Gym, and Wintergreen. He is an aspiring pilot, avid lego builder, and founder of an Airsoft Team with dreams of being an author. Greyson is currently working on an Augmented Reality project with several friends with aspirations to publish in the coming years. He aims to entertain, inspire, and create. What else is an artist to but make others smile?