-

you remind me of home

the way your eyes look down
when you walk
but straight into mine
when you talk
you listen
to me
attentively
and that's more
than i can say
for anyone
on any day
you ask me
about my family
about my heart
about my hurt

and then there's the silence

you put on my favorite song
and close your eyes
you say nothing
you said nothing
you didn't touch me
or offer to
you stayed close enough
for comfort
and far enough
for peace
you let the music
tell me it was
going to be okay

the other day
you told me about your family
how you just lost your home
i understood

you remind me of home

you make jokes in arabic
attempt to speak urdu
make fun of english
your accent is
local enough to
understand
it is foreign enough
to love.

let's eat maggi noodles
and talk about life

let's sing simple songs

i think of you
and i think
soft
soft
soft.
i think soft.

let's stay far enough
for it to not hurt
let's stay close enough
for it to not hurt

you remind me of home
you remind me of home
you remind me of home

-

i never quite grew
out of my terrible twos

everyone has their place
except i, i am floating on the surface