I close my eyes, me ears, my mouth, my hands
And become stationary static.
A statue of an angry self-
Posing as art or decoration.

With the ridgid character of rock
I turtle myself into an imaginary shell.
The world can place itself in the gap between alone and lonely.
I need this space

To grow; so I won't deform.
To sleep without my pet demon growling in his sleep
At the foot of the bed to watch me.
I need to see the inside of something that I'm outside,

And I need you to understand:
When I hold you a little too tightly while my mouth travels
The curve of your collar bone and shoulder-
Each other's names tattooed on our bodies;

That when I say that I see you as nothing less than mine,
It means not only for now; forever.
It means until the last star has burned out and the night sky
Is pitch black and dead.

It means until everything is nothing.
When all that is was.
Take it for granted-
I breathe you, whether I laugh
Or cry.