NEW LENS

I LAY THERE NAKED BLISSFULLY IGNORANT
HEARING THE HELPLESS LAUGHTER
SEEING THE UNCONTROLLABLE SMILES
AND THE GRINS THAT EXTENDED FROM CHEEK TO CHEEK

I SAT THERE SEMI CLOTHED
FEELING THE WIND CARESS MY HALF NAKED BODY
SEEING EVERYONE STANDING TOGETHER AS ONE
HEARING THE BIRDS AND THE CHOIR HARMONIZING ALL AT ONCE

I STOOD WITH YOU HAND IN HAND
I FELT YOUR BODY PRESS ONTO MINE
WITH YOUR LIPS OUTLINING EVERY PART OF MY BODY
I FELT YOUR QUIVER AS I RUN MY FINGER DOWN YOUR SPINE

I READ DAY IN AND DAY OUT
THINKING OF THE ESSENCE THAT WAS ‘US’
BECOMING SPIRITUALLY ENLIGHTENED WITH EVERY TURN OF THE PAGE
SLOWLY LEAVING MY OWN SOUL TO ENTER  INTO ANOTHER’S

BUT THEN I LAY THERE
WONDERING IF ALL THE HAPPINESS WAS ONLY THERE AFTER THE BOTTLE
I SAT THERE
THINKING ABOUT THE BOX BEING ONE HUNDRED FEET UNDERGROUND
I STOOD THERE
REMEMBERING HIM TOUCHING EVERY PART OF ME AND MY BODY BEING TOO WEAK TO FIGHT
I READ
CRYING ABOUT THE TIME WE COULD HAVE  HAD IF ONLY I HAD PAID MORE ATTENTION

*

I TRIED—

Two words
That everyone seems to hear
Two syllables
That no one really seems to understand