2024 Poetry Runner-Up: "no contact (but i wanted it first)" by Jennifer Allen

i woke up to another missed call from you

you didn’t leave a voicemail

it was at 3am and i had been sleeping

dreaming of things that were not

you i wondered if you had just been drunk

or if you were crying again and could not sleep

then i got out from under the covers

made my bed

and thought of things that were not you

today was different

i woke up to no missed call

and instead re-read old texts,

the ones you sent that i never responded to

i went for a drive and cried to our song

as i thought up something to text you

when i hit send i thought you’d reply instantly,

but this time you didn’t

i guess that means it’s your turn to sleep

and dream of things that are not me

except now i’m the one awake at 3am

and all i want is for you to call me again

-i’m okay unless you move on

Touchstone KSUAugust 15, 2024