Until

Lately
I have been careful
with nouns.

Once you name a thing
you have to live
with its name.

Verbs are worse.

Leave.
End.
Die.

I don’t like
what happens
when you put a person
in front of them.

So—

almost.

maybe.

not yet.

I have lived years
on words like these.

But
is a good word.

So is until.

You can live
a long time
inside an until.

I once said
this is ending

and it ended.

I know
that isn’t how
language works.

Still.

I have become very good
at almost saying.

A comma
lets me continue.

A question mark
means I could still
be wrong.

But a period

does not negotiate.

There is something
I have not said yet.

I know the noun.

I know the verb.

I know exactly
where the period goes.

I just haven’t decided

whether knowing
and saying

are the same thing