easing into it, sure

never have i ever

    been more surprised in real time

    had to follow a pivot this quickly

    had my stars more aligned with another’s

    

never have i ever

    walked under the freeway twice in five nights

    seen the galaxy in my eyes reflected clearly in someone else’s 

    expected something like this

never have i ever

    let myself fall into waters this deep, this many times

    given my full self from the jump

never have i ever

    expected someone like you

        to hold someone like me in such high regard 

        and keep me feet-on-the-ground with you

never have i ever

    touched someone, held someone,

        and found they just…fit. like they’re just right.

    been held by new hands that already knew me

never have i ever

    been bitten this many times

    

never have i ever

    bored a hole into someone’s forehead with kisses alone

never have i ever

    counted every sigh from every trip i took across someone’s skin

never have i ever

    felt this comfortable staying

never have i ever

    been in standing embrace 

        to remind someone

        that this is real

never have i ever

    been in lockstep with someone 

        in the process of falling

never have i ever

    expected something like this

        to happen

        to me

never have i ever

    listened to the impossibly contented songs in all seriousness

never have i ever

    been this kind of a catalyst

never have i ever

    wanted to shout a name louder through the cold night neighborhoods of lake light

    but also,

        wanted to keep this precious a gem held tightly,

        protected,

        until people are ready to know us

never have i ever

        pretty sure, looking back,

    wanted someone more

never have i ever 

    free association

never did i ever

    expect you