Come here.
Among the elbows 
of deciduous trees 
and lighthouse beacons 
of fireflies. 
I want you 
close enough to feel
the tightrope tension 
when I say nothing 
with a full mouth. 
My throat 
dissolves each I love you
that promises to earthquake my roots 
before it hits the pink
of my tongue. 

So stay there. 
Between mountains 
and the possibility 
we might not survive you. 
It’s too expensive to bury 
the codependency 
and broken vows 
hidden in the basement. 
Consider the black and blue
of falling for someone 
who can love you 
out loud.

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Header photograph by Jen Ippensen
Header artwork by Jordan Keller-Wilson