I heard a girl in the other room.
She whispered soft, choked sobs;
her exhales chopped,
and inhales stuttered.
Her moans were as sorrowful as a loon,
making my heart feel turned inside out.
I could not stand listening to her cry alone much longer,
so I stood up
and walked to her doorway.
I did not enter, just waited outside her framed room;
feeling numb and helpless.
Her eye lids were plump
Her nose was glossy
and she stood looking back at me.
Her tears rolled down her slumped shoulders,
and her wilted knees barely held her up.

I gazed at her golden tiger eyes,
her curly cinnamon hair,
her cocoa tinted skin,
and statuesque figure.

I frowned at her.
"Why don't you love me?" I asked.