You say “kiss me”

With more fervor that I can ignore.

Our hands are shaking,

Pawing for handholds in wrinkled fabric.

Curled fingers grasping at strands of hair

Like lifelines from a sinking ship.

Our lungs gasping for air

As teeth part to breathe each other in.

Lips misplaced in speaking

Love between syllables,

With tongues too tied up

To muster understanding.

I lean back to take you in

Eyes shining at all you are,

All we are,

All we have been.

I smile at your floofy hair,

Your reddened cheeks,

Those eyes staring back at mine,

Like nothing else could matter.

I cup your face in my hand

Running my thumb against your cheek.

You turn and smile into my hand

And kiss my palm.

I close my eyes;

This is home,

Not some arbitrary place to leave my coat,

But a place to rest…

More than my body,

But my soul–

Our soul…

One.