our friend found a painting of a naked guy
riding a horse that looked exactly like you.
and this spitting image made me think of
the different lives that you lived before you
found me in mine.
i need to believe that we have lived before this one,
that we'll continue to live after this one.
i need to know that the olive in your skin
is built up sun from the first time you stepped outside
from every life before this one.
that your eyes got progressively more blue from
every time you watched the sea.
and your stretch marks on your back remind me of lashings
and i hope that you never suffered before this
and that you will never suffer after this.
your crooked bottom teeth remind me of
fallen empires and crumbling ruins.
i think of you in the 1800s,
your taste for caramel pulling your
perfect teeth side to side.
when i look at you i cannot believe
that you made it to me at all.

11:43 P.M.
*Wednesday/July 9/2014