I didn't mind the headache,
or the weakness in my stomach
when I opened my eyes this morning.
All that mattered was his hands caressing my sides,
down past my thighs;
His crooked half smile that made my heart swim;
His huge arms as they pulled me into him,
his determination to make sure there was no space between us;
His breathing as he slowly fell back to sleep,
and his soft whispers in my ear
as I drifted further into unconsciousness.
He
He is the one for me.

Brackets

Your mum picked you up in daddy’s BMW,
we had to wait an hour while they scrubbed the brains of another son off the roof of the 125

(Why they built a multi storey car park on top of the bus station is a mystery to me.)

You carefully colour coordinated your files and scrutinized your revision schedules,
we watched nicked CCTV footage of two blokes smoking crack and burning down the bowling pavilion next door

(the old boys never did raise enough to repair it.)

You snubbed each other because of different tastes in jumpers,
we watched acid casualties talk politics with football hooligans

(a hastily rolled joint bridged the obvious gap.)

You lounged in the common room in your study periods,
our lesson got cancelled because John had been smashed in the face with a fire extinguisher

(and our tutor used to be a lifeguard.)

You worried about fashion and discussed the injustice of last night’s X Factor result,
we watched Neil’s head crash into his keyboard after he’d scoffed all his methadone in one go

(again.)

Suddenly you thirst for her kiss
And she sates you with lips and tongue
So you feel the warmth of her cheeks
And terror at what you've just done.

The rainstorm seemed to retire, but that was ignorant to think. I had expectations, nothing so dramatic. All I looked for was a promise or a resolution. You knew my true feelings, but you still wouldn't promise me what I wanted. I felt overflowed, like living in a darkened tunnel. Your own preciousness was silent. What I could have done with a few seconds more, but I watched you through the window. We used to sleep together like that. Now, wire fences rule my life. It is so so silent.

****** knuckles
and whiskey on your breath.
"If you think this is bad, you should see the mail box."
and with that you begin to weave the tale
of how you defended love's honor.
I smile.