you can leave 

after promising 

you wouldn’t 

but allow me 

to guarantee you something 

the next girl 

will not be 

as loving 

as patient 

as forgiving 

and maybe 

you’ll realize it 

tomorrow

or 

a year

from now 

but 

I was 

am 

and will always be 

golden 

just like the

sunburst 

I wear 

around my neck

that was supposed to be

the first jewelry 

of forever 

and

when you realize it

wow 

you’ll know why

you always said 

I was 

“the best of women”

— but then, I won’t be yours anymore