never quite right

never quite the same

and yet somehow they all FEEL

the same ! nasty same

one guy hates e-mail

gets it, won't answer, won't respond

will only use an antique landline phone

and even then, not much

time waster, he avers, phone talk

but likes to show up random at your place

and later, telling you he knocked upon your door

seems sad, upset that you weren't there

another dislikes texting

texts are vile, he says

he won't do that, just won't!

but frequently on zoom and dating apps

loves to e-mail art photography

exquisite work he makes himself

such gorgeous data-heavy images

so huge! swift trigger low data plans' blockade

and then he's ultra angry about that

he hates rejection (don't we all)

a third, more modern, only likes to text

laconic messages mostly

brief fragments that seem to have no sense, no life

'til suddenly three sexy words show up

your pussy wet? a pause, then ...yet?

or one bright throbby purple heart

makes you feel yesyesyes!

there IS love here, heat at least

and then . . . texts stop

gone for one long silent day, sometimes two

no word of why, just emptiness, blank page

and you despair, imagine loathing, fear his death

but each time (so far)

those little lines of words return —

thank god, thank god!

am truly (lamely?) thanking god

yet also, somehow, why?

an angry why

why are things so complicated?

why so endless weird, so off, so hard?

so very many ways to be in touch

no touch