Ive loaned a lot of things to a lot of friends
Like dresses and records and books
And some of the time I never see them again
And in a weird way i think that it works
Cause the thing about things is they start to turn evil
When you start to forget what theyre for
And so if youre not sure what you did with my sweater
Ill just try to love you a little bit more
I had a ring it belonged to my grandfather
He was a mason, and gay
And he was distant and bitter for all of my childhood
And we never had much to say
He wasnt the type to give tokens of affection
So I stole the ring when he died
And twenty years on when I lost it at a bar
I thought, thats fine, I dont want him in my life
Cause the thing about things is that
They can start meaning things
Nobody actually said
And if he couldnt make
Something mean something for me
I had to make up what it meant
I can carry everything I need
In one collapsing suitcase
I can carry everyone I love
In one phone application
Built to maximize the Facetime of the friends
Im bent on making
Actually I want to be alone
To mourn the loss of what it cost
I think its a poem and I think it keeps going
Ive borrowed and loaned lots of things
Three nights ago in the bar where I lost it
The bartender gave me the ring
And I lie in bed
With my phone in my hand
Thinking
What can I fix with which app?
And I call my grandfather
And he doesnt answer
And I have to make peace with that fact
Because the thing about things
Is that they can start meaning things nobody actually said
And if youre not allowed to love people alive
Then you learn how to love people dead
Because the thing about things
Is that they can start meaning things nobody actually said
And if youre not allowed to love people alive
Then you learn how to love people dead