I am not sure who first said
that the eyes are windows to the soul
but it must be true
because yours are every bit
as amber as your heart.
They are also every bit as tired.
Forever a mystery,
Greedy souls slinking in.
Sticky fingers
Leaving the best of us
Grasping for straws
Begging for thread.
Take it all
Leave a shell
Somehow they’re still good and well.

Men and cheese,
I tell ya.
I can walk away from anything else.
People aren’t meant to be loved in parts.
Cheese isn’t meant to be eaten in blocks.
Yet here we are.

I’m not as casual as you’ve seen me dress.
Moons are passing
I am aging
strings are what I’m seeking.
You were careless
Last severing your own too short
Failing and fraying
Growth never came from drowning,
Liquor lullabies.
Healing from hindering
Hiding.
I’ve never felt as alone
As asleep next to you.
Untouched
Unseen
Unknown.

When I said that I wanted to learn to dance
I didn’t mean around your emotions.
I’ve seen you shoot,
It’s always straight.
Maybe I’m the one
that needs to find the point to my arrow.

When I think about it,
it makes sense
how easily I fell into your ocean eyes.
I grew up in those waters
and you feel like home.
Familiar doesn’t mean good.
I walked away from that comfort
when it didn’t serve me,
and I’ll walk away from you too.
Sure as sugar.
It all ends in salt.