We sit on the bow of the boat,
The sun glares down on us,
Your skin reflects it’s warmth.
I hand you a smooth shell I found,
We admire its beauty together.
Its round edges and pearlescent body,
You say that you could stare at it forever,
But then you turn to the sea and throw the shell.
I ask you why,
And you reply that its beauty is only temporary.
At first I take your word for fact,
But after contemplation I realize I disagree.
So I dive into the water and chase after the shell,
Not yet ready to give up on it,
Understanding its value.
When I bring it back to the boat,
I smile at you and plead you to enjoy its allure for the moment.
You agree and curl up next to me,
And we resume our admiration.
But not long after you take the shell from my hand,
Again you turn to the ocean and release the shell.
I look at you with a blank face,
Confused by your indecisiveness.
You explain that you never thought the shell was beautiful.
Once more I dive into the water,
No not to retrieve the shell this time,
Instead I swim to escape you.

The sun reflects off of your perfect teeth.
Your smile sends shivers down my spine,
Your lips raise goosebumps along my arm.
Your eyes capture my full attention,
They speak to me so loudly I cannot hear
the words that come from your mouth.
I get lost admiring every freckle and mark on your face.
Your nose calls my name and your ears smile at me.
When I’m with you I am blind to the rest of the world,
I am deaf to all but you,
Your voice the only I hear.
Your scent the only I smell.
You let out a laugh and I want to cry,
You sneeze and I want to die.
You blink and I must make myself  look away.
Every muscle you move drives me deeper in love.
I am sinking into you,
Like quicksand you consume me until
the thought of you is all that surrounds me.

The discussion of politics occurs,
Over cups of lukewarm earl grey.
Obsidian tea occupies an ivory ***,
My hand stumbles and the sweet grains miss my drink.
They fall to the ground and scatter the rich soil below me,
Herbal notes are enough to distract me from my surroundings for the moment.
A thin shadow rests upon me,
Cast by the barren trees that forsake the living.
Clinking china rings in the air,
But is not enough to mask the sounds of suffocation.
I continue to pour my drink into my mouth,
As the rope around me neck beings to tighten.
This tea is too sweet I think to myself,
While my feet are lifted from the ground.
The cup drops from my hand,
and the cotton tablecloth is stained crimson.