Fumbles

A Poem by MLE

It’s a curious thing-
to fumble over your words
To look at someone and suddenly
Have your tongue do somersaults inside your mouth,
To have your heart beat fast and out of time and your vocal chords pucker and your lips betray you at a moments call.

It’s a curious thing-
That our bodies react like this
In a way that leaves us incapable of doing a task that once seemed so easy,
So easy before that person smiled and said “hello”
and looked so deeply at you, arm on arm.

It’s a curious thing-
That when I first met you,
Steady, certain, tall,
You fumbled over words that you’d hoped would make me laugh,
Red faced and flustered you walked away, embarrassed that your words had failed you
while I just laughed, a soft spot for you forming quicker than I’d like to say.

It’s a curious thing-
That suddenly the tables turned and I was not so sure,
Now I was fumbling silly jokes that I so wanted you to hear.
I’m so loud and proud in what I say, but with you I lose it all.
Carefully thinking what to say so my words would do more than fall.

It’s a curious thing-
That you were me and now that I am you.
My words may fail me day by day,
But what I want is you.
So listen not to my forgotten words but to my beating heart,
Hand on arm or knee to knee,
Please fumble on towards me.