I hate to leave

I hate to leave

but it’s about that time

again

and

I’ve no choice

in the matter

It’s something

too deeply rooted

in me

to ever dig up

and it’s something too

great to ever give

up

I’ll die if I stay

If I go I’ll grow

And this city’s

big but not big

enough

It’s seen too much of me

by now I’m sure

I don’t treat it

sweetly

enough

I don’t stare

and revel

the way I used to

and I don’t

walk in circles

lost and learning

its corners and I don’t

sit in its squares

like I used to

I know its secrets now

and worse

it knows mine

So I’ll go

I’ll move

to a place

where my feet on the sidewalks

make a different sound

I’ll pack up

every one

of my books

throw my shirts in a bag

and when I arrive

I’ll take a train

going the wrong direction

I’ll go to a grocery

store that’s already closed

I’ll sit in a park

where the homeless

camp

I’ll buy a new couch

and get it stuck

in the doorway

and use an old box

for an end table

I’ll order

pizza from the worst

restaurant in town

and it’ll be a whole new

home.