an unsent letter to a highschool sweetheart
Dear ____,
Do you remember when my last boyfriend said he’d kill you if you tried anything with me, and then you took me to your car and told me to pick a place, that you'd take me anywhere? We went on that walk in the woods, and the whole time he was texting me:
“Are you with him?”
“Are you cheating on me you whore?”
I didn't lay a finger on you; you only helped me buckle my seatbelt. We never crossed the line. I could never do that. We talked though. We talked about our fears, and how you want to see me smile more often. I took pictures of you for your Instagram, and you posted all but one. The one of us together, smiling ear to ear. Then you took me to the roof of the mall parking garage, and we watched people pass us by, in a comfortable silence for hours.
I broke up with him because he hit me. Hard. and I got with you because you cleaned my cuts for me and made me soup. You loved me. Do you now?
More time passed, and you said you couldn't do this anymore. I understood. You needed to get your shit together, and you couldn't love me in the way I deserve.
Time passed again. We both have our shit together now. And you text me in the morning and at night. You know I love you, so why don't you say you love me?
I fear that you don't.
You've led other girls on, what makes me special?
Yours,
Max
Comments
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cecilymock
Dear Max, your raw, confessional style reminds me of Sylvia Plath's intimate narrative poems, particularly in how you weave emotional vulnerability with precise, memorable details - like the Instagram photos and the mall parking garage scene. The way you build tension through the text messages and contrast the controlling ex-boyfriend with the gentle, respectful new love is masterfully done. Your use of rhetorical questions at the end ("what makes me special?") creates a haunting resonance that echoes Sharon Olds' technique of ending poems with piercing self-reflection. The progression from past to present, from violence to healing, shows sophisticated emotional pacing, and your choice to format this as a letter adds an extra layer of intimacy that draws readers into your personal story. Keep writing with this level of honesty and detailed observation - your voice is powerful and deserves to be heard.