We are no longer the same people

who traded barbs, here and their

in classrooms and high school halls

We are no longer the same people

with dreams that have yet to be dashed

and hopes crushed by day to day life

But yet, here we are, reconnected again

without the acidic comments and

terrible behaviors that maturing recedes

Now, I hope we can put aside hurts from the past

and get to know each other, as we are now

or can we look past the obvious

Or call out that we perhaps take issue

with one another for being

so much like the other...

Sometimes, out of nowhere

there is a soul crushing loneliness

that hits me...

and I feel the tears well

in eyes that do not fall

and are instead

swallowed into the

emptiness of my heart

that has been there

since you have gone...

moved on, not of

your own free will

but left looking

for you as if

you are still there

and these feelings

are all that remain

as a memory of you

I love when you are with me,

walking through the park or

through the forest, on

our nature hikes...

I love holding your hand

and feeling the warmth and

softness of it, and love

the gentle squeeze you give

I love the gentle kisses you give

in our walks, or when you

lay with me in bed

and I feel the passion in your lips

I love your Zebra Stripes,

that my fingers follow as

I lay my head on your hip

and trace them with my finger

Telling you how perfect you are,

for the very thing you hate

and place my lips on them

to show you how much I adore

Everything about you, even the things

that you do not find pleasing but

I find pleasing, about you

...always about you

And I trace your Zebra Stripes

with my lips, till I meet yours

and worshiping your body

and say a prayer...to Venus

...for your beautiful Zebra Stripes...

I was excited to see you after

such a long absence

and was pleased when

As you passed me,

walking with a friend

you stopped and came back

and I knew,

I knew in the brightness

of your smile

you were excited, too

Tripping on emotions

in the mundane things we

say to catch up

anything could be said in

this time all the while

straining visibly as

hands raised I gave into

temptation and a gentle

kiss turns torrid

with hands on face and lips

burning from a long ago

passion that reignited

from a simple hello

I love coming home to you

Coming home and feeling that

excitement, the build up, and first

site of you as I walk through the door,

just to get home to you

The last kiss, a memory of this

morning, a memory I’ve held on to

all day, to get me through

your smile and that look

when I touch your face

Before our lips meet,

I love that look, that look

of happiness as my hand caresses

your cheek and steadies

my hands as I kiss you

lips, locked in place

sparking hands to roam

through your hair

over your body

as breathing through this kiss

has brought me through

fire, only to pull back

and look at your beautiful

face, and I caress your cheek

and kiss you once more

as I am with you once more

breathing you in,

feeling your presence

calming my soul as

this balancing act ensues

She wore a red sweater

and I could see the look in

her eye before she even

made contact with me

The look on her not-so

perfect poker face

lifted into a slight smile

and I knew, I knew before

she said anything

this romance had

run its course and

somewhere…before we got here

it ended for her,

she walked up to me

and gave me a kiss

and when I looked at her

She started crying

tears fell, and I took pity

on her…I told her “I know”

and she just cried

and I held her, feeling

her breath hitch and

then stopping…

”how?”

”I don’t know…

just knew…

but you should tell me

anyway…

tell me what you want…

tell me you want to be free…”

she wiped the tears

from her face

and looked me in the eye

and said the words

said the words I knew

were there but unspoken

and I held her face…

and looked her in the eye

leaning in for a kiss

then said goodbye

I wonder why we connected

through endless conversations

instead of fighting from

being on opposite ends

maybe it was the way

we just stopped and

looked at each other

and lost what we were talking

About

I couldn’t tell you what you said

five minutes ago but

I know the shape of your nose

and the curve of your lips

And believe in the laws

of attraction when I try

to break this kiss but

find that the attraction

of polar opposites

to be the greatest of all

as my lips go numb

and I breathe you in

She wears colors of pink

And lavender to let me know

Her heart burns like no

Fire I know…

“Nothing can stop love…”

She told me, her hand

Caressing my cheek

And a thousand voices

Saying this is wrong

“But nothing can stop love…”

Says the last one

A woman’s voice…her voice

I look her in the eyes

Wondering why these eyes

Of blue and grey

Enchant me

Just like her smile

Has taken me

To places that

I have never been

I long to feel her

Cheek against mine

And whisper in her ear

“Nothing can stop love…”

And let her feel the yearning

In every heartbeat

As I taste her lips

And burn in her embrace

He didn’t realize she was 2 people in front of him in the checkout

it wasn’t until he heard the commotion

of increased prices and not enough work

to make ends meet, the mother of two

was caught in a bind at the register

he quiently pulled out his wallet

and made his way to the register

and was ready to swipe when

her hand caught his wrist

”what are you doing??!!”

she didn’t even realize it was him

and when she did, “Oh great!!”

”Hi”, he said and smiled

”let me help you, this once”

She looked at him and said

”no I got this…” then turning to the

cashier, “what do I owe?”

”53.80 is the total”

She looked awkward and turned to

him and said “would you please go back to your ca…”

“I’m just trying to help…we’ve all been there…”

and she looked at him and said, “why are you always where I am when things get rough!!”

he turned to her and said, “I’m not here to save you, I’m not a hero…I’m just friend that is just here at the moment when you need a hand…”

She looked at him and said, “ you are also the husband of my cousin and does she know you are helping like this?”

he looked right back, “ of course she does? You are right I just happen to show up when you have an issue going on but I’m not stalking you I’m not waiting to hope out from behind the corner and sweep you off your feet”

”well it feels like it! And I don’t need to be saved by my cousins husband all the time…”

He looked at her and said, “I really am just here shopping and was doing the same thing when you had issues with the kids last time…really, just let me help“

”I don’t want your help…I’m not going to go out with you or whatever you think…”

He felt his face go red, “Have I asked you out? Texted you to meet me in some clandestine location or asked for a rendezvous? have I tried to touch you or grab you for a kiss?…all I did was offer to help, with no stings attached. ”

It was her turn to go red and she was about to speak..but he held up his hand

”I have no idea why the universe or god put me in the places you have been when you have needed help, I just am and I have not said anything in terms of payback or asked for money or acts (sexual or otherwise)…

He sighed, “I have just always thought you are a strong woman, much like my own mom who was single and managed to turn out four of us…if I have harbored any feelings romantic or not, until I reveal them to you those are between me and the universe and not you…”

he turned to the cashier, “Just ring her out and add it on my bill and let her out of here”

The cashier nodded and bagged everything up and handed it to the mother of two…and as she was going to go she had that look on her face…but some things were better left unsaid.

and as he got to his turn to be rung out

the cashier turned to him and said…

“you may not be trying to get together with her, but something or someone has a plan for you two…“