Distracted

Fire

I caught this for you, he says.

I mean, for dinner. For you to cook, he says.

but all i can see is the tilt of his head the scuff of his feet the blood in his ears the teeth of his grin

Are you going to do something with it, or just sit there? he says.

but all i can hear is the laugh in his voice the scratch in his throat the catch in his breath the thud of his heart

You shouldn’t stare like that, he says.

Your eyes will get stuck, or something, he says.

but all i can think is the way that he looks the stuff that he shares the joy that he lives the time that he said

I love you.