I. I’ve been writin’ a lot about darlin’s lately and I’m no longer sure if it’s because I like the idea of a person held so close their name rolls out with dropped gs and the promise of affection Or if it’s because the South is finally sticking in my bones. II. I’ve always loved the cold and the snow and the sky that stays grey for just a little too long but she doesn’t like the winter and I’m tempted to stay where the sun digs into my flesh exactly like those burrs we don’t really get down here. III. Some years the fireflies don’t come to the Carolinas and sometimes the mosquitoes get here early. What if I leave and she can’t join me? What if I’m the mosquito staying somewhere it’s not welcome? She’s never really had a chance to catch the