you tell me again
that 
we must have
crossed paths-- must
have seen each other
before-- 
maybe that was me
one aisle away from
you in a Target
buying soup spoons
or maybe it was me
behind
you in line at 
Subway-- 
surveying the menu
as if i might order
something different
than i always do
what would you
have thought of that
girl?
we pass so many
people we could
fall in love with--
our skin sometimes
inches from
touching-- oh 
if i would have brushed
by you in cafe 
or a street corner
in Philly i think
i would have known 
then-- 
there
is a kind of knowing
that comes 
with skin--
when i met you
i wanted to hold
the sound of your
voice
cupped in my hands
& every 
i love you
meant your name--
meant our shadows
on my walls
meant skin & breath--
your skin on my skin
my fingers through
your dark brown hair--
i have been wading
into loving you 
all the while 
my skin aches 
& tells me to reach out--
trace across your
shoulders--
kiss your neck
then your ears &
your forehead--
if you would
have known me in high
school we might
not have ever
talked-- you might
have seen me
the girl with blue
hair & match stick
burns
on her forearms--
writing poetry
in a brown leather
notebook 
& i would have seen
you a boy with 
melodies sewn
in his hands--
oh my skin would
have known you
if we had brushed 
past each
other-- 
i call it electric--
the way 
kissing 
you feels like
the only language 
left to speak--
i'm wading
into loving
you 
& coming up 
from air--
when i say
i'm scared of
loving you 
i mean it's
there in my skin--
water up to my neck 
i don't know
how i could
ever stop
seeing the
sound of your
voice--
hearing your
skin spark--
on mine--
i don't
put people's
names in poems
but here
yours is 
love oh love
oh love
i see you
shutter--