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Tristan, 19

A Poem by Vance Hatton

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I told Sophia that I was going to stay

single, that men aren't worth it, except for a few.

It took five whole

hours for me to betray that idea

and sign up to Hinge and Bumble

and Tinder, just for good measure, although

apparently Tinder, or I, can't count,

because it thinks that I'm

18

which, no matter how you calculate it

is wrong.

 

 

Choosing 6 pictures is harder than you think.

Do I want to use pictures with

glasses

makeup

brown hair

blue hair

other people?

 

Choosing 6 pictures shouldn't make me think;

do I want to choose pictures with

glasses

makeup

brown hair

blue hair

other people

because I think they're what someone

else is looking for?

I don't want someone who's looking for

glasses or blue hair, I want someone who

looks at the picture and sees me there.

 

But, I do want to give myself a good chance,

because only a few men are worth it,

and I want to find them, be held by them,

be loved by them.                                                                To Coda

So I ask my ex

which pictures she'd suggest.

Apparently she can't count either,

because instead of 6 she sent me

8.

 

Then you have to choose the prompts,

and that's even harder because there are so

so

so many

and I'm an indecisive bisexual.

In the end, I made them about

jellyfish

straight men

Italy

not sleeping

quoting everything

and Morocco, which it turns out

is not Monaco.

 

And then I swiped left a bunch.

And then I swiped right a few times.

And then I swiped left a bunch.

And then I swiped right on Tristan.

SHIT

FUCK

NO

I swiped left by accident,

and he was really cute,

so it’s back to the drawing board.

 

Delete Bumble account.

Please select a reason for deleting your account.

Found/In a Relationship

Ha, I wish.

Billing Issue

What, you think I’ve got the money to pay for this?

Dissatisfied with Service

Nope, just with myself.

Other

I ACCIDENTALLY SWIPED THE WRONG WAY

ON A REALLY CUTE GUY.

INSERT CRYING EMOJI.

D.S. al Coda.

 

 

 

Coda

Round 2, bitch!

Left.

Left.

This man is literally over twice my age,

or depending how you calculate it,

over 5 times my age. Left.

Left.

Right.

Left.

Left.

Left.

Left.

Left.

Left.

TRISTAN.

 

48 hours later, I’m planning a date

with Daniel. He has

glasses

an earring

red and black clothes

brown hair

that sweeps over his face in a really cute way.

 

Who’s Tristan?

A Statement by Vance Hatton on her process

This poem, Tristan, 19, marries poetic form with elements of sheet music notation to enable its dynamic movement back and forth across the page. Just as a piece of music dominates a space before vanishing completely into silence, so too does the poem seek to capture the ephemeral nature of dating apps and many of the connections formed on them. Over a year after writing it, I’ve been in and out of two relationships and no longer have any idea who any of the people mentioned in this poem are – other than my dear friend Sophia, whose poem in this edition you should go and read now if you haven’t already!

About Vance

BoundBy Web Designer, Copywriter and Editor

I’m BoundBy’s web designer, as well as an editor for the magazine. My poetry encompasses both a variety of forms and free verse, with a focus on adaptations and intersections between mediums. My undergraduate dissertation comprised of a poetry-infused videogame, the demo for which is available online at https://vancehatton.itch.io/a-drakes-poetry-publishing-house. I am currently studying my MA in Writing at the University of Warwick and working towards publishing my first full-length poetry collection. While firmly anti-poetry before my time at university, I have since fallen in love with the art and plan to continue my journey with the form when I move to Italy next summer!

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