his scent
lingering
on
my skin
my clothes
my bed
my hair
my memories of him

his scent
like cologne and morning kisses
like sunlight peeping in through the shutters
like innocent smiles and laughter laced with love

his scent
reminds me of everything good
and pure in the world

i want his scent all over me
but now
i get it
in fading wafts of air

his scent
to be gone forever
my love
your scent

because she built him up so high
that when he looked down from his castle
he realized
he no longer needed her

and I looked at you all the time
you were my best friend
but this was different
it was in that moment
through laughter
and inside jokes
when I looked up at you
and realized
by god
  
  I love this person

I love you
so deeply
and not in the way of butterflies
or nervous glances
or sweaty palms
but
in the way of calmness when you enter a room
in the way that I can see a future with you
where you kiss me goodnight
where we drink sweet tea on the porch and watch the sunset
we exchange gentle kisses
and hold each other
through hurt
and through everything bad in the world
I love you

Once, he was asked,
"Tell me what is true.
Why is it that you
write just what you do?"

He laughed, and said
with half a smile,
"I write so you'll
fall in love for a while."

After a pause, he said pleasantly,
"Not with me - I'm a liar, you see,"

And grinning wildly,
he spoke his conclusion:
"Love is a poet's favourite illusion."