His skin always
reminded me of the moon
A white canvas cratered
by endlessly fascinating blemishes
That’s why I was always touching him
Trying to commit
every scar and freckle
to memory before the sun came up

His eyes always
reminded me of the sun
So full of light and promise
and desire that burned like fire
They warned me,
“Don’t stare too long”
but I could never quite look away

So when my mom wonders why I
can only love the broken,
I tell her it’s because
my first love was
a beautifully blemished boy
And when they ask how I
never saw it coming,
I tell them it’s because
I stared too long into the sun
And now I can’t see anything