predawn shakes, broad & leo

good morning
at the tone
the time will be
five forty-four
and twenty-five seconds

sometimes love is
waking up
when you could sleep in
so your lover doesn’t
have to be alone
sometimes, love
it’s hard to do
the things we need to do

people tend to conflate
bravery and fearlessness
as if courage has meaning
without fear to drive it forward
as if the bravest among us
aren’t defined by fear
and their relationship with it

a more forthcoming person
would in this circumstance
tell you how scared they are
a less frightened person
would in this circumstance
say go, anything you need
a more secure person
might in this circumstance
kiss you goodbye
knowing what comes next
and agreeing that it is indeed
perhaps not The right thing
but A right thing

quote the motherfucker
it ain’t me babe
apologies
for me oh my oh
my selfishness
obscurity and insecurity
know no bounds
to the point:
all i could say clearly
would be
don’t go
stay

i suppose occasionally
courage takes the form
of holding one’s tongue
and asking no questions
before the sun’s risen

and don’t get me wrong
even in all of this
i am proud of you
your bravery made manifest
in an open heart