3 Poems

By Chloe Lubag

to peel an orange

and be fed a slice

to keep the porch light on

and be held at his return

to weep at the granular

and be soothed by his palms

to want

and be wanted

to love

and be loved

///

Do not tell me I am being selfish

because I already know

The sun is leaking through our curtains

as dawn breaks and already I envy

how the rays hold your skin before I

get the chance to

Have you ever missed someone as they

are kissing you?

Cursed the lungs for needing to break for air?

Because for a moment, there is more of

your breath in me than my ownmaybe that is why you tell me

I look beautiful like this.

And if the philosophers are right,

and there truly are infinite universes in

which you are mine,

I must swallow the knowledge that,

in all the rest,

I have never once wiped my lipstick stain

off of your cheek before work; so

Do not tell me I am being selfish

because I already know

///

and I fear there is no

recovering from this

I am mortally wounded

by the very thought of

you

and if love is the

blade you press to

my throat

please gift me this

final blow

I will be the martyr

I will be the lamb

but I will be yours.

yours

eternal and 

yours.

About Chloe: Chloe Lubag is a Filipino poet who writes like she breathes- involuntarily. A vast majority of her works were haphazardly scribbled in her journal at 3AM and deciphered the following morning over a bowl of greek yogurt and a glass of iced coffee. She holds a BA in legal studies, which she thinks is why she writes of love like it’s a contract. You can connect with Chloe on Instagram @chloelubag.