pandemic lover

2022
Rachel Jendrzejewski

We are on the bottom of the ocean, or we are driving, or we are flying very high in the sky. Which do you think is most likely? There is a small procession. There is a kind of launch, propulsion. There are bright lights appearing and disappearing abruptly from the ink.

We say, it’s funny because it’s true. Please tell me the difference between a drop-off and a return. It’s tempting to borrow your language, but I’m trying to resist.

We are on a highway, or we are swimming through imminence. Which do you think is most likely? Do we have to pick one? Things aren’t always what they seem, and things aren’t always singular. Our ears are popping as we talk about wishing we knew the names of fish.

There is a sweet sound that you’re wanting to follow, and why not—we only get to experience a limited number of nights, right? There is a determination to make the most of them.

We wonder, have we always punctuated our conversations with facial expressions? Please tell me the difference between mediation and garble. There is a slight detour, can I handle it?

We are existing in the space between two chimes, or we are wrong. Either way, it’s a recurring association. You confess to me a kind of erotic appreciation for false endings. You confess that you never quite heard what I said all those years ago.