FOUNTAIN AND FAIRFAX, by j. bradley

The vodka bottle stands tall

atop the fridge, cap untouched;

I’m giving you what you wanted

for your birthday.

I believed you when you said

‘forever’. I let the lie slosh around

in an empty highball glass.

My lower lip hurts from holding

my mouth back.

Meet me in the corner

of my living room. I’m waiting

by the phone. You are a promise

worth finally keeping.

J. Bradley was the guest poetry wrangler for Volume 7 of The Ampersand Review, in which this poem originally appeared.

J. Bradley's work has appeared in over a hundred print and online literary magazines and he is the author of numerous chapbooks and full-length poetry and short story collections, including our very own Dodging Traffic.  He lives online at iheartfailure.net.