With all the strength that my eyelashes can muster I look you in the eye

Your eyes the pigment of Christmas morning

You hold all the mysteries that Nancy Drew couldn’t solve

You make my heart dance the foxtrot

I keep my tempo even with your breathing

Your teeth gleam like piano keys, and it’s times like these that I wish I had pleaded for a lesson

I braid my fingers into your hip and let you lead me across the field

With sand in your hair and sun in your eyes

You make me believe in God

With all the traits of my mother, you cradle my face

I stash my secrets behind your ears when I think that you are sleeping

In a cloud of smoke, poems and handshakes I try to paint you in pastels

You tug at the end of my curls to see if I am flexible

On your inner wrist, I trace the maps of my ancestors

The freckles on your back a constellation

You touch my knee like a rubbing stone

Gently

Gently

Your tongue tastes of Chai tea and heartache

I keep your face trapped behind my eyelids, your teeth embedded in my lip

You shout tongue twisters from the bedroom, embodying all of my childhood wonder

I cling to your loose ends, wanting nothing more than to wrap myself within them

I am simply looking for closure