the poet dreams of second chances

i don't know what love is

but i know what love is not

love is not prying secrets from under your lover's tongue

love is not wasps stinging my stomach until the venom kills

love is not a knife prying open your ribcage just so it can cut out your heart

love is not my nails clawing open my palms

love is not the words i have written on my arm as reminders that i don't matter

love is not the phone numbers shouted at me while i am standing on the side of the highway

love is not my trembling hands

love is not false accusations

love is not running on ten calories

love is not always requited

love is not quiet

love is not always beautiful

;

i don't know what love is

but i think i have an idea

love is the curve of her jaw and the space between her fingertips

love is the water that will run its fingertips down my sides when nobody else will

love is stolen glances

love is my dad using the word friends when i think he means more

love is fingertips tracing collarbones

love is springtime packing a picnic basket and walking to the park hand in hand and exchanging strawberry kisses

love is who you thought of when you read that

love is who i thought of when i wrote that

love is the girl who doesn't know she holds my heart in her hands

love is the letter sitting in my drafts right now

love is the girl whose death my mind plays like a broken record unless i know she is safe

love is my fingers sliding along a keyboard like these words are my oxygen

love is the girl who could change the world if she wanted to and changed my world without trying

love is standing with my arms outstretched and palms up towards a blue sky

love is twirling in the rain with girl in red in the background

love is rereading the love and lies of rukhsana ali and wondering if i could get that happy ending for a while

love is the milk and honey in my tea

love is how i hate my hands but i don't mind them when they're holding hers

love is everything i'd want to say if given the chance

love is mistakes but love is also realization and change

love is hope.