my pixel perfect valentine.

when i think about our first valentine's day, three colors come to mind.

on my side: green pines enfold me as i walk off the pain of your absence.

on your side: sky blue walls cave in. your second week alone.

red roses you sent me: the only tangible thing between us. a thorny stem across city and suburbia - watered with my tears.

so sorry i cried on facetime when you said you lost your taste and smell. i couldn't help but think that if i kissed you, you wouldn't feel a thing. silly of me to assume love is a numbers game of sensations. wasn't the pixel barricade between us made of red, green, and blue?

more pics of couples posing - their pixels are but presentation. for us, they were a lifeline. the only colors of our (wi-fi) connection. i hated leaving you in an empty bedroom, but at least our rainbow screens sufficed. and you got better soon, my love. our first valentine's day: not our last.

_______________

inspired by my boyfriend, who got covid on our first valentine's day. don't worry: he's better now.

maybe not a perfect poem for pride...but it is about love enduring despite life's hardships. you can find the sister story to this piece here. thanks for reading.

-katy