Drawn Back

A love story I wrote for my boyfriend for his birthday.

Running feet
And heaving breath.
Have to run, have to hide-
But from what?
I’ve forgotten.
I think it was
Someone- or something?
I don’t know.

Pause, for a moment,
Or at least slow,
And the fear comes back,
And the running begins once more.

But, wait-
What’s that?
Who, I should say.
He looks…
Familiar.
A look I’ve seen before,
But never quite to this extent.
With a smile, he extends his hand.

But the fear is overwhelming,
Even more so
In the face of this smile.
And so,
I run.

But I don’t run far-
The smile draws me back.
Who is he?
What does he want?
Doesn’t he see
Who I am?
What I am?
Is he blind?
Or does he see
Beyond what I see in me?

I have paused now-
And his smile repels the fear-
For a moment.
His hand still extends towards me.
I take a tentative step forward,
My own hand extended.
I am afraid,
But I am curious.

Memories are flooding back.
Happiness... Before pain unimaginable.
I paused once before,
In my never ending flight,
And it brought me pain.

Remembering, I withdraw.
For a moment,
That wonderful smile fades.
Then it returns, brighter than before,
And he extends his hand a little closer to me.

Something warm grows within me,
A feeling I remember,
And yet don’t.
I take a hesitant step forward.

I can truly see him now.
I see all his imperfections.
His fears.
His faults.
His weaknesses.
And yet…
They only bring me closer.

I wait for the hand to withdraw,
For him to see my own faults
And realize that I’m not worth
That friendly hand.

Yet, it stays extended.
His smile remains.

I reach towards him,
Slowly,
Carefully,
A wild animal, afraid but curious.

And as our hands touch,
I remember that look,
That sweetness in his eye and smile.
I have seen it before,
And it warms me.

It is called
Love.

Author's Note

Feedback, perhaps?