When I Told You I Love You

When I told you I love you, I am not sure you understood the extent of what I was saying. I have loved before. I have loved with my hands and my heart. I have opened the door and welcomed them in, but not like you. No, you are different.

I love you like I want to write about you constantly

Which is to say,

I will love you with all the metaphors in my fingers

I will pull poetry out of your throat when you kiss me

And I will whisper it in the nape of your neck at night.

Which is to say,

I will take my whole heart and set it in your hands.

Which is to say,

I will let you place it back into my chest when you are done

Which is to say,

I will thank you for holding it in the first place.

I love you like I want to wrap myself in your arms indefinitely

Which is to say,

I love you like you are a safe place

For me

I love you like I am a safe place

For you.

Which is to say,

This is where you should be.

I love you like I want to get matching tattoos with you

Which is to say,

I love you like Katy Perry’s Teenage Dream

An adventure.

Which is to say,

I love you like The Lone Bellow’s Tree to Grow

A peace.

Which is to say,

This is an exhilarating comfort for you to inhale.

I love you like I see you

Which is to say,

I love you like honesty

Like authenticity

Like acceptance.

Which is to say,

I love you without hiding

Which is to say,

I love you like I know you see me too.

Which is to say,

I love you like I mean it this time.