detangling

clutching only hair

i pull blonde from my brush 

gold threads wound round each bristle

until whisked away 

from the paddle like cotton candy 

i roll you between my fingers 

where the webs of my hands

once held your hair 

strands so silky and elusive 

they slip through the gaps of my grasp

the scent of coconut milk lingers

shampoo i once scrubbed into your scalp

now i only wash for one

while i reminisce about the smoothness

of your wet skin and soapy smile

and i never liked blondes

or dated girls before 

but i would wear a wig of her hair

as a helmet to protect my brain

from losing any more of her

at night i dream in tangles

each strand a thread back to her

my hands grip like bloodied rope

i wake with fists closed

clutching only air