the inevitable

*thirty

before i go, i'd like you to know
how it feels to watch
the world fall on your shoulders.
the quiet peaks you store away
and only share with me.
how it feels to hold them close
in all their painful entirety.
your rough palms and an aching heart
are louder than you intend.
a ruckus you'll have to focus to hear.
give yourself a rest in the crook
where shoulders meet neck.
the gust of air
that meets you after a cold day out
the warmth returning to your cheeks
fingertips sting as my breathing steadies.
intertwining in every nook and cranny.
filling the cracks with gold
and tracing every imperfection along the way.
i see the way you stare.
the air is bleak and my words run dry.
you never fail to finish my sentences.
contended by what i've neglected to accept.
held by what necessity you bare,
the ringing in my ears fade
and leave only you in it's place.
just as you've always been before.