I only know you by the ring
systematic spellings for expression we falter from minds
and words tumble from shelves and cabinets
to linger on my tongue and yours
as though we’ve kissed many times before

As I captivate in the only way I want to be seen
through dark brown eyes and skin like bark
as though you’re the tree that
needs to hold me to have any chance of blooming

yet we find comfort in cinema and stray pillows
where passion can sleep lightly and let us stray into
other concealed chests that people of youth toss into seas
cast me into deeper waters where blue becomes azul
where I let myself believe in truth and love and things I once thought
were as shallow as the koi ponds we wade in

only to climb that brown rustic willow with the new apartment and biology major
pre-med aspirations and links of airplanes and automobiles
kissing the bareness of arms and waiting
for words to ring softly on the contours of
my telephone