196 miles

When we date in our dreams

When I close my eyes and open them

Behind third base at Yankee stadium

In an old truck we both wish was ours

Blankets that keep your toes warm

And we look up at the stars

Diamond vignettes of promise

Supernova passion in steadfast guide-stars

Promises of forever

I promise

I promise to always look worse than you in pictures

To never look at the bad ones from Taylor’s birthday

To make you laugh when you are crying

To gather our tears in jars

Sacrifice them to the Father of time

As humbly as possible

Asking for these tears to be turned into smiles

If I could wake up beside you

Open my eyes and see you do the same

Eyelashes crashing like operatic cymbals in the key of our love

Tuning themselves to our tambourine knees

And the rhythm of our hearts beating

Imperfect but big

Like our love

I would take your hands

Both of them because I can’t afford to let you slip away

Look into your eyes

Which you stole from heaven

And whisper good morning

Like a hummingbird I love you

And you move closer

On purpose

We stand in Barnes and Noble

Surrounded by thousands of stories we wish were our library

I look around curiously

Pick one up

And as I do, like a breeze,

You tornado your arms around me

Let me feel you breathe

I am addicted to your smell

Love-spell

Your yellow jacket and purple scarf taunt me

With how much you are worth the wait

I spin you around

No one cares who is watching

You twirl cautiously like glass

It wasn’t long ago that love arrived

Fragile and delicate

I will kiss your forehead

Where the stumble into our first kiss began

And your hair will pretend to get in the way

And won’t

And in that moment when you are in my arms

The distance doesn’t seem so bad

And even when you are away

And our tears form a river

Across the flat land from my home to yours

I will learn to float on the jazz strings of our love

I will make it to you

196 miles in say 17 hours

Till I arrive on your shores

Till there is no till.