my heart
is still that
of a child
innocent
protected
by
the mass of scars
that cross
my psyche

it just takes
longer
for the love
to bleed through
empty corridors

in this way
i never
forget a feeling
so tangled
in the web
of misdirections
my mind casts
shadow theatre
along the secret tunnels
that wind
through
my broken

i love
like it is
the first time
unaware
of when
it may be
the last
walking blind
along the cliff’s edge
uncomprehending
the precipitous drop
with one
errant step

every time
the words have
slipped
over my tongue
to escape
the toothy gates
and spill
fully formed
from numb lips
it takes
my breath away

every thought
of you
is like suffocating
in the most
joyous
possible way