blurry faces
emaciated bodies
The sound of waves smashing into your nose
The salt water
clearing out your ears
seaweed choking down your throat
The grit of the beach moving through each pore into your blood stream

clarity

dreams fading and
The anxiety shifting
from death to life
to kissing a person you just met and
reeling
from
The joy
and distaste of
The situation.
another night with a new person who could be her
or not
a bed too small to hold
you both
but too big to
be close enough

breathingsnoringsleepingcringingclawing
pushing
more and more
aware of each hand, muscle

The eyes go soft
The joy isn't there
it never was.
and
The allure of
The written word
doesn't feel
The way you thought
its incarnation would
feel

a fan

The whir
spins our breath
pushes like she pushes
strains like her breath
catching in her throat
The dogs know it's wrong
you don't face it
she worries she's
crazy
you've been crazy your
whole life and
The eyes are still
soft.

soft

dead

best to move on and start
again
break a new person's spirit
launch her
into a man she needs not
The one
who's there.
know the difference
show her
she matters
even to a stranger
grabbing at her body
grinding into her.

her smile
is more than a turn on
that high pitched squeak
of a laugh isn't to be shamed.

you're just as ticklish
as she

know
The difference
don't be afraid
even if she doesn't want
you
show her you've got
her
safe
and sound