No 5: ESPRESSO ROSES

PHOTO BY EMILY HEIMER

LUCIA AUERBACH

IF YOU COULD BOTTLE ROSES AND COFFEE

YOU WOULD HAVE HIM AT YOUR DOORSTEP.

I HOPE SHE RUINED THE SMELL OF ROSES FOR YOU.

AND HE DIDN’T COWARD DOWN IN THE SHADOWS LIKE YOU THOUGHT HE WOULD.

AND SHE DIDN’T STOP SMOKING IN THE SUNSHINE LIKE YOU THOUGHT SHE WOULD.

PEOPLE CAME TO HER LIKE MAGNETS. HIS WORDS DIDN’T SCARE HER.

SHE WENT OUT IN THE CITY NIGHTLY. SHE DRANK HOT LIQUOR UNTIL SHE COULDN’T REMEMBER HER OWN NAME. THE LIGHTS ATTRACTED HER AS THE STARS ATTRACTED HIM. 

SHE HOPED HE WOULD TRAVEL LIKE HE SAID HE WOULD. BUT MAYBE HE WOULD GET LOST. AND END UP IN SOMEONE’S BED WHO WOULD SHOW HIM TRUE CARE. 

TRUE

UNAPOLOGETIC

UNAFRAID

CARE.

BUT NOW SHE EATS SUSHI IN ENGLAND AND HE EATS PASTA IN MEXICO.

THEY SMILE SIMULTANEOUSLY AT THE SOUND OF GUITARS. ACROSS THE WORLD.

SHE IS TRYING OUT NEW PERFUMES. 

MAYBE ROSES WERE MEANT ONLY FOR YOU.