She fell for him at 3:01
an autumn afternoon
knowing she'd be the first
to utter those three words, but never would come close to
giving the heart whole.

Half of a half she'd placed on ice
a life before his gaze, a gaze
that warned that afternoon,
he was too hurt to summon the second of three words, having destroyed the first
before freeing the third.

She moved on at 3:02
but not before an early death
so sweetly kissed their lips in rage
deflowering two graves.

At 3:03 they sought warmth in a room away from city noise
so they could hear each other scream in pain and anguish out of breath
beneath the sheets
skin pillaging skin.

At dawn, exhausted
each succumbed
holding the other in embrace
and in the silence of escape
gifted much more
than just three words
chained to a phrase
before falling asleep.

The truth unspoken would remain
as death forewarned, deflowered slept
embraced.