a friendly critque:

loosen your arms, don’t
try to hold my body like a candle-
stick. stop staring, do something
with your hands. touch my hair,
for goodness’ sake. i’m only
standing here. i’m only waiting
to be loved, it’s only midnight,
just hold me for a while. I need that
the most. don’t ask questions.

ask me questions, smile a bit,
just let me reach up to brush the hair
out of your eyes. you’re trying
too hard. don’t say anything, just let me
hold your face in my two hands like an apple,
let me try to remember how to do this right.
love isn’t something that can be practiced, only
inhaled. the only problem is, we’re not
in love, only tired busy people who have too
much in common. but it’s alright, this one time,
we’ll straighten it out later. breathe in,
out, it’s alright, dear—I like you too. just move
your lips with mine, and take the small
of my back like a wafer, and when I smile,
that means I like this too. this is not
as distant as you believe.