A Call From the Collector
Poetry
or how to not fight about money
don’t be the one who spends the most —
addicted to the edge
of pushing payment down the road
don’t come out passive and offer nothing
don’t remain resentful in the losing position
when you’ve always done more
to remain right
to escalate the defense is to play with traps
don’t look for attention from ghosts
you may run, but only cool down for one block
this is another type of hard, the kind that asks if you’ll stay
with less violence in your words
the unease rips through the currents
repeating the style of your origin
there are untold truths you’re managing —
avoidance turned to acceptance isn’t shocking
as if you’ve never heard the call from a collector
find the parasite in your ecosystem
and remove it from between you — bloom again
remember, you married for love.
Samantha Lazar 2024
