On The Other Side (2017)

The other day I watched a teenage boy

walk across four lanes of traffic with his

middle fingers in the air 

just to hug a girl 

on the other side. 

Romance can be wild

but when I mistake

recklessness 

for fearlessness 

I wonder why we were ever taught

that it should be dangerous

to love us

Truly, it isn't that brave to

throw yourself into another.

I could throw myself into

you

right now,

if I was rude

and had nothing

better to do. 

Why not instead 

care for someone 

the way the light cares 

for a jagged landscape

or the silver cares 

for a stream it barely remembers

or the gardener cares 

for a complicated ground, 

so shy it pools up 

They hold even the untouchable close,

bow down to the precious. 

my lovers take their shoes off in the house

they would never make demands