You took me by surprise
A night in endless February breathing cold whispers down my neck
I shook and watched the lights sparkle lives of curious strangers and thought of your eyes
You were not what I expected
Not what I imagined
But still all I wanted
You were not rambunctious
Not common
But still infinitely fascinating
You took me by surprise
An evening surrounded by the hums of conversation and the constant smell of milky earl grey
I relaxed and watched wordless gestures indicate what a voice could only dream and thought of your lips
You were not what I expected
You were not dull
Not smiling
But still boundlessly thoughtful
You took me by surprise
A twilight setting heated with anticipation and light string violins weighing the room into silence
I beamed and reached my eyes to the parade of tuning winds that put poetry to shame and thought of your hands
You were not what I expected
You were not slight
Not sympathetic
But still continually passionate
A question I ask over and over
A problem I assumed I could solve
You took me by surprise
You were not easy
Not simple
But hopelessly loving
A tired Tuesday morning that quivered without energy and left me stained bloodshot eyes
I yawned and covered my iris with layers of skin as countless voices called names and I thought of your heart
You took me by surprise
You were not  a flame
Not a friend
But an eternal companion
Whom I pray my years of memories are kind to

I believe in goosebumps,
the shiver

Your hand passed lightly
over my bare skin
lets me say so much more
than words ever could.

I told myself I would live forever
Imagined death and scoffed
They told me life is fragile
But I brushed their warnings off.

I knew that death could not claim me
He was simply an old person’s fable
But were he to approach me in the night,
I would be Cain and he would be Abel.

I told myself I would never die
Death would never claim a soul this free
But then I met you and sure enough
My heart quit beating and he came for me.