What I loved about you

a second secret skin

how you knew

eventually

you’d lose him

but loved him anyway

He asked, “Are you still my girl?”

You said, “Always.”

Hearts held impossibility

like fingers tangled in each others

hair like palms anchored in

holy water his presence

a constant burning

you forgave the marks
his teeth left

his metallic knowledge
within your veins
forgetting the way
you glowed in him
forgetting
how many times you
saved him
grown insubstantial as
shadows in the black
trench coat that turned
towards the moon and
turned towards you
just before your light
became a casket door
to close
a home to walk out on
You tried warmer arms
like sample drugs
sharper teeth
made passionate
distractions of enemies
fooled yourself into
sympathy pains for
ones you convinced
yourself you craved
them
misshapen puzzle pieces
scraping against the tender
edges of his heart-space
The Truth
shape-shifted
into something you didn’t
want to recognize
That it was never the demons
or vampires
witches’ spells
wrathful goddesses
or harbingers of death
that had the power
to break you.
Only love
Could do that.