Spineless

the way

the way

it is because of the way his body relaxes when he's dapping up his boys
fingers taut one moment and next locked up in a secret,intimate language only black men know

his laugh like a melody you can hum but can't remember the words to
hard to place but comfortingly, familiar all the same

it is because of the way a grin stretches across his face, lips peeling back to reveal a smile that dazzles
it's how he seems to fight a smile every time our eyes meet

it's because of the fact that he's not afraid to hold my hand
because of how he brushes his fingers against my own
but it's also because of how he lifts my hands to his mouth
gently,gently,gently pressing his lips across my palm,and not the back of my hand, because he wants me to know his love is healing too

because of how his fingers grip my waist when a passing man stares me in my eyes too long
because of the hurt look that crosses his face when I tell him to stop treating me like I'm his possession
because of the passion in his eyes when he tells me that he belongs to me--if I'll have him

because of the way his presence alone draws the attention of everyone in a room
because of the way his nostrils flare when a white woman crosses the street to avoid us
it's the frustration dripping off of him when I clutch his arm every time blue and red lights flash behind us

it is the way he mirrors me, how he seems to be a reflection of me
it is because he laughs at all my corny ass jokes
but also the pleasure on his face when I laugh at his

it is because of the way he looks at me with longing... even when my clothes are still on
how he looks at me like I'm the most beautiful creature in this galaxy
it is how he never hesitates to hold me
and how his eyes close in euphoria when i place a kiss on his neck

it is the laughs,the trauma, the elation,the tears, the unity,the history,the sex,the fights we've shared
that is why I love him