Mending

by Stephanie F. Earls

it's been 

t...h...i...s

long

and i can't (don't want to) remember

if you are coming back

or not

because somewhere along the way

my heart and my head

mixed each other up

again.

(even though i swore i would be careful)

right now i know this:

when i see your face

my heart still leaps 

(even though you told me to be careful)

and when i dream

i see your feet 

(seriously?)

but not just 

see...

feel

and not just

feel...

know

know

like they are my feet

and how could they not be here?

a part of (parting) my legs

when i wake,

everything's together

despite distance

because 

somewhere along the way 

when our hearts 

mixed each other up,

so did

your feet and mine

and your smile and mine

and your laugh and mine

and your wine and mine

and your hands and mine

and your back and mine

and your touch and mine

and your taste and mine

and your song and mine

then your past and mine

(even though we tried to be careful)

so

t...h...i...s

is 

what it is.

all of yours                                                 there 

all of mine           here 

i am left writing out words
you are left ironing out wrinkles

and in good hope,
for us,

a mending.

of all of yours and all of mine

because 

each kiss left undone

is still trying to complete itself

because

without a mend 

the hole frays

(be careful)

sew in heart tender gestures 

toward this mend

yours or mine, 

both of ours

because 

somewhere along the way

our hearts and our heads 

mixed each other up 

(we were care-full)

.

.

.

.

(to hell with being careful)

it's clear now 

to my head,

only a heart 

that knows it's love

would dream of feet