mhmm

We spent months unaware of each other-
(it was easy to get lost
amongst the hundreds of uniformed white and red.)
The first time I heard you speak
you were giving me a delivery of flowers from someone else.
Who knew then. . .

I had freshly ended,
you had never begun
but watched-
a face in the crowd who disapproved of the public display
of disrespect.
All you needed was that night-
You saw me cry, and you would not have it.

We figured it out slow-
very slow.
VERY slowly
unraveling the layers of each other that
we both protected so much.
But because we knew
we gave way, and let them peel back
like rose petals in the presence of sunlight
anxious to let the beauty in
after so much rain.

It's strange,
alien even.
I never understood the symphony
in simplicity.
For years I had felt like a dog
for years
and scraped and tore
into myself
and into him.

In my case you have to
know
patience.

I know patience.
But now I also know respect
and truth
and someone
who was never taught
how to hurt.