it’s been a long day
since I let my eyes fall to your lips
this morning while
pouring coffee
now i drink from a nearly empty cup with a marshmallow of whipped cream and
widen my eyes under the wedding tent as you wash your face by
your partner’s umbrella
you wander down to the string lights that spray
over the dock like laying between almond sheets at sunrise
and I’m too scared to go down
because someone walks by in a sweat and they
remind me of how you
smell when you stand so close that
I can feel your shoulders over mine
a jacket protecting the barstool
is like your calloused hand
grazing strings over soft cherry branches
you play for her like you are falling into
fall leaves - soft but breaking
seven years ago
we kissed where the river meets the ocean in splashing spray
like my heart
always goes after
you
like rivers
are your hands holding mine to hold me steady in the current
and when it’s not enough because I am shaking
you hug me tight like all you want is for me to be warm and loved
I hope there is a cove where
the river meets the sea
for one day only
and I can melt into you as the
grass falls into the river
because the dock is a way for us to jump in
because my earth energy says that you can get some sleep and you’ll wrap us in a quilt
the cove is still here and you turn to face me. I step in
to the water and sunset turns to a starry night and then the sun of daylight
quiet strumming
like dew kissing soft roses
we talked all night and now waking up and brushing the dust onto the dock, I jump onto your back and
you start walking in the shallow water
that we will be queer together
that we can borrow each other’s shirts
that we will live by the
water