Unsent
I draft in silence
in my head
in a text box
with a blinking cursor
each letter I tap
has a pulse beneath my fingertips
your absence stretches wide in the dark
a hollow space where your breath might tangle
with mine
what do I want to tell you?
that I carry you like a knot stuck in my ribs
that I think I can taste your name
that my body is cold without the warmth of yours
that my heart craves the pressure of your own
instead, I backspace
swallow the words whole
let longing settle like a ghost in my chest
and hope, somehow, you still get my message
unsent
My short bio is as follows: Arielle Arbushites is many things, but above all she is a mother and a licensed social worker who has been a writer all her life. She has mainly published poetry on social platforms, but also debuted a short poetry collection in 2024 entitled “cracking at the heels.” Arielle creates custom poetry on the spot for folks searching for human connection and performs spoken word poetry in her local community. When she isn’t working in the field of hospice, grief, and loss or caring for her son, she finds value in reading, creating, and sharing words that make people truly feel.
