the couch grunts —
adorned with flecks of irritation
and flushed cheeks
[you remained collected]
gleaning heavy armor
a safeguard from pierced mutterings
careening in your direction
knifed with high inflection
[you remained collected]
hoisted my hitching breaths
while shrouding your own
poised in prisms
of scrambling expressions
and leather bands
[you remained collected]
arms suspended in air
barricade deflecting bullets
tufts of grey strands pinched
with time led astray
and footholds that
can no longer support you
and for that, i have balanced
the word perdon between rivets
of throttled words
have painted it in my undertone
have carved it onto my tongue
have swallowed it in thickets
of out of tune harmonies
for fear that it would part my lips
i have worn it on my skin
but not in my eyes
[you still remained collected]
