I like you in ways
that fumble inside my head,
questioning, why?

- in ways that
remind me of acidity
and degeneration -
of rope being pulled
ever tighter into knots
of illusion, isolating us
from the world at large.

My mind trips back
to broken nights
under covered skies,
when stars fell at our feet
and concrete cushioned
our fall from grace -
cooling and definite.

Disguised as midnight
we danced in the suspension
of reality's love affair
while the world drowned
its sobriety in the pool
of undergraduate amity.

And though today
I question the brevity
and sincerity of your touch,
I like you in ways
that remind me of life,
answering, escape.

12/14/2004

Author's Note: Originally entitled "As the Shadows Abate". Revised a little.

Posted on 12/14/2004
Copyright © 2025 Karen Michelle