I suppose the way I feel is unoriginal
And the words I say are overused
The “I love you”s are plain
And the butterflies I feel when you’re near are recycled
The things I thought were ours
Were already yours
And everything we experienced was and is a carbon copy of what you had with her
Before you, I didn’t know what it was like to be held properly
To be kissed softly
To have the things I want to hear delicately whispered to me
To have fingers trace patterns on my skin without purpose -
There was so much I thought was ours
So many places and moments and minutes
And words you’ve said and things you’ve done
But they were already yours
So the way it feels when I relax into your arms when you hold me
Or the way I hug you
And the way I exhale when you kiss me
And the way I look at you because I love you -
It’s nothing new to you
Sadly, it was new to me
Thankfully, it was new to me.
Now, my only worry is that your touch will seem foreign
Your kisses will be rehearsed
The words you’ll say are empty
And worst of all I think -
The way you look at me will be the way you looked at her
And I’ll know.