Relationship is You and Me, Not You and Them

Because I love you, I hold your hand

your palms are warm and dry and

because I love you, I brush a kiss to your knuckles.

Because I love you, I stand outside your classroom

bouncing on the heels of my feet, waiting

and you’re talking to Stacy and Jonathan and Lena and

when you step outside I hold your hand.

Your palms are warm and dry and my palms are sweaty,

because I love you I grip your hand tight and tell you

Stay away from them, they’re not good for you.

Because I love you, I can tell you what is good for you,

because I love you, I can be all that you need, and

you try to pull your hand away from mine but I hold yours.

I tell you that I’m the only person you need to talk to,

that it seems suspicious when you go to other people

who are not me about whatever it is you want to say.

Because I love you, I lead you down an empty hallway

and tell you to take out your phone, to pass it to me.

With my hands I delete all the toxic people in your life,

people who could get between us, because I love you.

Because I love you, you’ll understand why I’m doing this.