Dangling Propositions By Chad Musick

Dangling Propositions

My friend, my neighbor 
refuses phrasal verbs, their dangling 
prepositions. We go, 
but not out. 

At the party, when it’s her turn 
for seven minutes
in Heaven 
she chooses me. 

Because you know
Heaven isn’t my name,
she says. 
She is eager 
to feel, to be felt, 
but not up. 

We breathe.
We breathe. 
Her father waits 
on her outside
inside.

She admits a preposition. 
I don’t want to wake up. Anymore.
But only one. 
When he’s drunk, 
he feels me.

Give me the out.

I pray 
but Heaven doesn’t hear me. 
That’s not her name. 
Anymore.

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Bio: Chad Musick is a mathematician, writer, and editor who lives in Japan with his family.

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