Nikki Giovanni: Untitled

there is a hunger
     often associated with pain
     that you feel
     when you look at someone
     you used to love and enjoyed
     loving and want
     to love again
     though you know you can’t
that gnaws at you
     steadily as a mosquito
     some michigan summer
     churning his wings
     through your window screen
because the real world
     made up of baby clothes        to be washed
     food                                        to be cooked
     lullabies                                  to be sung
     smiles                                     to be plaited
     ribbons                                   to be bowed
     coffee                                     to be drunk
     books                                     to be read
     tears                                      to be cried
     loneliness                              to be borne
says you are a strong woman
     and anyway he never thought you’d really miss him