Dear Love,

You sure showed me.

I didn’t believe in you. I had my reasons.

I didn’t understand.

You have this presence

Even when you’re pure and requited, you sting

I look at them and sometimes I can’t help but think

How could I breathe

Without them?

I’ve lost a few and I still don’t know the answer

I don’t know how I keep breathing

That’s probably you too, isn’t it love?

I cry for the world, and bad days, and my gone-too-soon loves

But my present love and possible future loves

They charge my lungs and force the air in and back out of me

They prop me up when I don’t have any strength to stand.

I didn’t have anything to say about love.

But I have so much to say to love

In smiles and tears and sighs, hand holding, kisses, breath

And a million inaudible thank yous.

Love,

Me

2015 November PAD Chapbook Challenge: Day 24

“Write a love poem. Write an anti-love poem. Your choice.”