Liquid Eyes

i met this girl

at a holiday party.

but that sounds too simple

for what it really felt like.

see i met this girl

at a holiday party

and

the moment she said hello,

i felt

my bones adjust,

like before her,

my body was unevenly

tilted,

my existence

misplaced.

she had liquid eyes

the kind

that make your

insides

bloom.

and i

couldn’t

look

away.

it was as if

her eyes

and lips

and breath

magnetized

my

bone marrow.

she came up to me

while i was scooping a

massive serving of

mac n cheese

onto my plate.

she said:

“I’m glad

I’m not the only one

who came up again

just for this.”

I could feel

the sound waves

of her voice

vibrating my heart valves.

So, naturally,

I panicked,

mumbled something

like “you betchya!”

and stumbled off

to admire

the shape

of her smile

from a safe distance.

later,

in the kitchen,

i told her i liked

the skull tattoo

on her forearm.

i could see more

ink stained skin

poking out

from under her shirtsleeves.

i wondered

what might happen

to my central nervous system

if i ever

got the chance

to trace my finger over every

line.

i think

it would feel

like lightning.

my back ached

the next day.

in her absence

my body

seemed to

return to its previous

lopsided state.

but every now

and then

i think

i feel the

sizzle

of the subtle electric currents

she unknowingly left

in the network

of blood vessels

under

my skin.

it feels

a little

like lightning.