you thought i was rich and i am but not how you think

i live in a Tudor house under the freeway in Mar Vista

by the beach

when you call i take my phone outside to the picnic table

that i bought from the Rose Bowl

and i listen to the rushing cars above

and think about the last time you visited me

the last time we made love

how the noise got louder and louder during rush hour

until it sounded like the sea

and it felt like the ocean was the sky

and that i was flying because you were two feet taller than me

until you took me in your arms

and i could touch the stars

and they all fell down around my head

and i became an angel

and you put me to bed

happy

People think that i’m rich and i am but not how they think

i have a truck with a gold key chain in the ignition

and on the back it says: happy joyous and free

happy

and when i drive

i think about the last time my friends were driving with me

how the radio was so loud that we couldn’t hear the words

so we became the music

happy

They write that i’m rich and i am but not how they think

i have a safe i call the boyfriend box

and in it every saved receipt

every movie theater ticket just to remind me

of all the things i’ve loved and lost and loved again

unconditionally

You joke that i’m rich and i am but not how you think

i live in a Tudor house under the freeway

off of Rose Avenue 12 blocks from the beach

and when you call i put your sweater on

and put you on speaker

and chat for hours underneath the trees

and think about the last time you were here lying next to me

how the noise from the cars got louder and louder

during rush hour

until it sounded like a river or a stream

and it felt like we were swimming

but it wasn’t just a dream

we were just

happy

Sugarfish