For Keeps

Apostrophe- s:
That's what caught my eye.
Pedro love- [apostrohpe]- s Pebbles.

With a wave of his black magic marker,
he transformed concrete and steel
from support member into edifice of love.

A stroke of magic.
A transformation.
A message of love.

"Pedro love's Pebbles."
Apostrophe- s.
(The possessive form.)

Possessive love, the kind of
love that blooms
in high school: love as obsession.

He wasn't thinking that
when he scrawled it, was he?
- About the possessive?

He only wrote the words.
No heart,
No symbols of love,

He only wrote the declaration:
Pedro love's Pebbles.
Apostrohe- s.

The possessive form.
Maybe he thinks of her
as his prize possession.

Maybe it's bait set to capture her.
Makes me wonder how you keep someone
you love. Or, do you set them free?

Apostrophe- s.
The possessive form.
That's what caught my eye.

Black ink scrawled on a subway I- beam.
Soon enough, it's covered over
with fresh paint.

I hope their romance lasted longer.