Sometimes, Love Is

Sometimes, love is

a suggestion from

your doctor

to make a bucket list

at 25:

"just in case".

A frantic ink pen

scribbling

about snow outside

your office,

the perfect contrast to

your world of color,

a pair of pigtails

and

Hot Wheels in tow

with whom you plead to

build a snowman;

or a pile of blankets

on your living room

floor,

littered with

Mountain Dew cans

and familiar bodies

too at peace for sleep,

speaking from their

bass, surround sound

booming.

It is alone time on

the couch,

binge-watching every

death movie

that you can find and

forcing yourself to

laugh,

deep and from your

belly

until you are nothing

but pumpkin guts

carving names in

perfect script

across boxes of

pins and needles,

addressing letters to

your chosen family

that you hope they

never read.