shame like this

There is such thing as beautiful shame
I cant stop thinking of her telling me
‘this is an honest shame’
As though in that moment
her truth had felt every callus
on every lover we had had before then.
There are stories here
Laying, unwritten,
on skin that has seen love come and go
Skin that knows the value of what it holds –
I am but a shield, it says
Wrap yourself in me, and i will protect you.
Wrap yourself in me, and i will become you.

There are children waiting by the sea's edge
Their sanbox spans deep and glorious
they are like us,
waiting for blue tides to carry memories further away,
But always back in
Always back in
Always back in.
I have been swimming,
Submerged in honesty
As though to redeem myself
‘Look here, see my weakness before you, and make love to it’
I know its not easy to cherish
But it is here regardless
Your mouth rests gently along my apologies
Swallowing them whole
Telling me in return, that you are not foreign
Telling me in return, not to be ashamed
I have named the breaks and bruises that line me
Their meaning vanishing before you like their sincerity
You can point them all out now,
You know how to touch them so that it doesn’t hurt.
You are beautiful
But the worst part
Is that you are also lovely
Tell me,
Have you felt, shame like this?
I want to make it feel better
Make it feel natural
I want you to be well acquainted,
So that when it reaches you again,
There is no fear there.
Beware only of those who don’t deserve to know of it.
I want to hold your cheeks in my hands
Kiss your open palm
And tell you
I can hold yours,
Because thanks to you - I
don’t feel mine anymore.