POEM: circle yes or no

circle yes or no

do you like me?
circle yes or no

would you have dinner with me?
circle yes or no

during dinner, do we need to discuss
the intimate details of our lives?
circle yes or no

if so, and if partway through I admit
I’m a divorced father of two,
will you skip dessert?
circle yes or no

if dinner goes well and we decide
to see each other again,
will the first five minutes of
our second date be awkward?
circle yes or no

if not, should I immediately
take that as a sign
we’re meant for each other
and fall hopelessly in love with you?
circle yes or no

if you sense that has happened
will you immediately change
your phone number?
circle yes or no

I forgot to add earlier that I’m a vegan
does that mean that dinner is off?
circle yes or no

if it turns out that romcoms are my favorite
kind of movie and I still listen to
Tears For Fears, will this ruin things?
circle yes or no

(I’m not saying that’s true, but just in case)

have you even heard of Tears For Fears?
circle yes or no

if, just hypothetically, it turned out that
I don’t have a paying job or a car or my own place
would this make me a less ideal relationship candidate?
circle yes or no

was reading this poem aloud in a roomful of people
an enormous and possibly fatal mistake?
circle yes or no

5 October 2012
on a bus

/ / /

I wrote this a few weeks ago and read it recently at The Gnu’s Room, but forgot to post it till now.