We stood crowded around a TV.
The seconds drummed away.
...10...9...
We made eye contact.
...8...
My heartbeat picked up tempo.
...7...6...
I tried to smooth my hopelessly wrinkled dress.
...5...
Electricity pulsed between us.
...4...
You took me by the waist.
...3...
Our faces inched closer.
...2...
Your hot breath in my ear:
...1...
"I'm sorry."

Toasting, cheering, kissing couples swirled together.
And you were gone.

My favorite memories are here, with you
Riding in your car
One hand on the steering wheel, the other in mine
One eye staring at the road to keep us safe
The other can’t resist looking back at me
With love

Your voice sings loud enough to cover the radio
Notes above and below pitch
I’m a critic, but I don’t mind
Because you’re mine
You’re all I need

Consistent trips to an overpriced coffee shop
Caffeine runs through our veins
Caffeine mixed with a four letter word
One that drove our actions, our words, our hearts
When we were still too afraid to say it

I first told you here, where my favorite memories are
Because it is one
Though it isn’t perfect and romantic as I’d hoped
It’s our memory all the same
When my fear of that same four letter word was lost
And my fear of losing you replaced it
I had to tell you

I sat there quiet, refusing to look at you
And when I did
I just couldn’t help myself
Whispering softly I said it
And my whole world changed

Suddenly it was different
Love existed because you and I existed
And in the midst of fooling around
In an empty parking lot
In your car with the radio off
I told you I love you

I feared the worst in that moment
Until you tilted my head up
So that my eyes would meet yours
And you smiled
And before you said it, your eyes did
And I knew you loved me
And then you said it
Pure bliss

I never knew such a feeling existed
It was different than I’d imagined
Better
It gets better every day
Because each morning I wake up
I look at the picture frame on my nightstand
The two of us staring into each other’s eyes
With love

Each morning I wake up
I fall deeper in love with you than the day before
Cliché I suppose
But with love
All the clichés begin to come true

There isn’t a thing I wouldn’t do
To make you happy
To see you smile
To hear you laugh
To feel your lips softly caress mine

With love

Life bears down
Grabs you by the horns
Takes you head on
It never surrenders
And never relents

All life ever does
Is push you
And so builds
The pressure
Powerful
Insurmountable

You seek only release
But wait
Aren't you master
Of these affairs?
Didn't you drive
These needs out?

After all
Your release is obvious
Aren't there tally marks
Of the flesh
To mark
Every time you gave in

Until finally the desire
Nay even need
Becomes unbearable
Crimson shall be yours
For the low low price
Of weakness

And so finally
At the end of the week
Your tally
Comes out high again

Our hearts are free
We are free when we
Set out to be in our
Souls and hearts

We tend to chain and
Restrict ourselves and
Not seeing our true
Worth and beauty

We tend to lie to
Ourselves and tell
Ourselves of things
That aren't true

We are whole and
Beautiful in our
Own ways and
Our hearts know

The truth to be
Free with our
Hearts and minds
And souls is just there

Waiting below the
Surface and letting
Us know we can
Let go of all of the

Things that burden
Us and keep us from
Seeing ourselves as
We truly are

I Have My **** Ups
I Have My Flaws
I've Cried For Many Things
I'm Not Gonna Cry For You

Come with me,
On a journey
Travel the sea
With me
With me
We'll hitch a ride
On a whale's hide
Or if we get cold
From the winter wind
We can hide in his belly
He won't mind
The wind'll blow
In little drawn swirls
And we'll dance
In the belly of a whale
In the belly of a whale
You can pull the ribbon
Out of my hair
Take my lips by storm
Take me there
My dress umbrella out
Make me shout
Make me shout
I'd really like to love you
I put my hands on my cheeks
And hope my brain,
My heart, my head
Will choose to know you
You are so chic
Oh so unique