the last letter

i write a letter.

a long letter. five pages in all.
took me hours
of writing, editing, revamping.

then i print it off,
read it again before tossing
it into the trash,

crushed into a ball.

i get nowhere with letters like
that.

I've sent so many, trying to make
right things right, or get
even
in some maniacal way with some
fool girl
i got entangled with.

the poison pen and all that
nonsense.

the little man in me shouting,
i'll show you!

but in the end. you just have
to leave people alone.
move on.

you can't change them. they were
sick before you met them,
sick when they were with you,
and will be sick
forever more.

get on with your life.
shut the door and don't look
back.

to hell with letters.
i won't send them anymore.
except for this one, the one
that took so long to write,
but that's it,
no more letters,
i'm done with that.