whispered dreams and echoes in the dark
throwing tantrums at night for a *******
piece of death between my frozen-in-motion
lips that mouthed the three words in the living

i need you
because i do

i pressed the tips of my fingers to my eyelids until
i saw phosphenes and everything hit me like a bullet
so i ****** oxygen inward as if drowning and
then i realised i needed you even more than that

more than the oxygen that kept me alive and alone
more than the blood that fills my veins and whole heart
more than the alcohol that ***** my liver and lifts my head
more than that what makes time move forward
more than **** gravitation that has the earth turning
more than whatever it is that makes me think at all

i need your hand on my back to keep me steady
i need you talking to me like i'm real and i'm here for you
i need you walking beside me in the alleyways of town
clenching my hand in case this is over too soon
i need your hair stroking my cheek like it used to
i need your eyes on me in all the ruddy colours they are
i need you with all your laughter, cries, **** ups, frustration,
caresses, shame, fears, dreams, echoes, tantrums and lips

you and i

it's engraved in our skin
that's why.