第20部分(第1/7 頁)

andered　out；　leaving　Dan　alone。

Thankfully。

Still；　maybe　there　was　something　to　what　his　dad　was　saying。　After　all；　Colm　hadn’t　said　specifically　to　write　a　poem。　He’d　said　to　turn　in　a　poem。　And　Dan　had　just　been　musing　that　he’d　peaked　in　high　school。　He　stood　up　from　the　bed　and　padded　across　the　stained　carpet　to　his　makeshift　desk；　made　from　milk　crates　and　an　old　door。　Maybe　he　could　find　a　poem　from　the　past。　It　wasn’t　like　he　had　much　of　a　choice。

He　picked　up　one　folded　loose　piece　of　paper　on　top　of　a　pile　of　Moleskine　notebooks　and　spiral…bound　pads；　unfolded　it；　and　began　to　read。　Blonde　ing　out　of　the　store/　Whatever　you　buy；　I　want　you　more。　It　was　one　of　the　first　poems　he’d　ever　written；　after　he’d　seen　a　picture　of　Serena　online；　ing　out　of　Barneys。　It　was　terrible。

He　shuffled　through　more　of　the　papers。　Each　poem　reminded　him　of　another　piece　of　his　past。　He’d　been　in　love　with　Vanessa；　dated　Serena；　had　had　a　torrid　affair　with　a　kinky；　yellow…toothed　poet　named　Mystery　Craze。　He’d　even　had　a　fling　with　a　sensitive　gay　guy　named　Greg—if　you　called　Greg　trying　to　kiss　him　one　night　after　drinking　way　too　much　absinthe　a　fling。　He’d　had　experiences　with　almost　every　type　of　love　there　was。　But　now；　he　just　felt　empty。

Maybe　that　was　his　problem。　He’d　forgotten　what　it　was　like　to　love　and　lose　and　love　again。　After　all；　the　poems　about　Serena　were　about　untapped　desire；　about　ideal　love；　about　a　love　that　could　not　be　consummated。　They　were　sad　and　desperate　and　longing。　They　were　real　poems。

He　pulled　out　one；　from　when　he　and　Serena　had　just　broken　up　in　the　fall　of　senior　year。

Perfect　blond　celluloid　teen　queen

Heart　of　glass；　Wyeth…stark　Kansas　landscape。

Dan　grinned。　That　wasn’t　b