Love Letter 182 Three Hundred and Twelve

Come on!

You're not turning in already? are you?

I haven't measured your elbows

or counted your eyelashes

or pressed my lips into that one question that you haven't asked

We need to stay up!

I need to record

your breathing while you wash dishes

and sweep the floor

and read your mail

and then

I want to clean

under you fingernails

and make you soup

and bend you a spoon.

no, no

I know you don't need those things,

but

I Need to Give Them to You

I need more time to praise you

to sketch and paint the plural venus' in your eyes

I need to know

how many sticks and stones

built you

and how many names

you've been called, while standing tall in who you are

I need to know

if you paused

before you said

YES

to me

or if you were always sure

it's okay, whichever

because

I am still here

running my finger in the groove of all your Yeses

I am still here

counting the spirals in your fingerprint

I Love You

Your Beloved