poetry.

i woke up next to you and i am whole

I woke up next to you after a night of sleeplessness, and I watch you breathe.

Your hair spilling wildly about your head like a flower crown in July, you remind me of the type of beauty I try to paint but never capture on the canvas. I so badly want to kiss and kiss and kiss you, but you need your sleep and I'm content to count your freckles in the pale sunlight that bathes your room in soft rays.

Your skin stretches wide like a map of constellations and I am reminded that I'm not the only one with scars to hide. But you could never disappoint me, my love, and I know I can bare my flesh to you and force light into the ugly canyons tracing my legs, reminders of a far more broken time.

I once heard someone say to me, "one day you will wake up next to the one you love and thank the fucking gods it never worked out with anyone else", and for the first time, I have what I've always wanted, what I've always craved and needed and yearned for.

Your eyes flutter open sleepily and you smile, sweet and slow like molasses and whisper to me, "you're the best" and turn to catch me up in your arms before dropping back into your sleep.

Sleep is not something that comes easy to me, but by God it's worth it just to lie awake next to you and listen to my world breathe beside me.