Lessons of Hindsight
Lonely is never a good foundation.
Lonely is when you get a cat,
call a friend, take a class.
Discarding someone for a good reason
never needs revisiting.
Your bed is cold,
the silences are large,
the table is set for only one,
and it was still your best decision.
You can’t second-guess
your core beliefs when you need company.
You are better off alone
than with someone you don’t love,
who values your affection only
when there is no other affection to receive.
She whistles and your ears perk up.
Do not respond. You are not a dog.
You don’t need her to pat your head.
Love yourself.
Have confidence in your wisdom.
Warm your own bed.
Jessica S. Frank lives in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin. She is a writer with lots of publications under her belt, but no one in her town believes her. When she’s not busy whoring for attention, she tries to raise three kids who will not need extensive therapy some day.
Portage Magazine 