No feelings owed for two to five years.

Make a future commitment

For one tiny price.

Today I put my heart on layaway

The plan bought and sold

a single minute for my cards to fold

“It’s easy . It’s simple.”

Promises made

risks to be minimal

One small payment here

A sample of affection there

Far in the future I would

Become the full owner

Until then minor deposits were made

Deposits of trust, comfort, intimacy, warmth and

One hand brushing the fingers of another

Eagerly I waited for one day

To be in full possession

A full owner

Anything other than a debtor of love

Each payment left my lips

And landed lost in receipts

Showing, how and when and if

A total commitment had been made

Then perhaps what we shared would have stayed

As more than just a partial moment

More than just a partial purchase

Of one tenth of your heart

Of one instance next to your body

Of buying things

We’re not yet ready to own.