Capitulate

I woke up this morning and

said “thank you”

for the smell of her body

the delicate sigh of her breath

the soft curve of her back

the warmth of her skin…

her mind a forest fire that

no boy has ever been able to contain.

and so the morning,

evaporating into

afternoon

where there are no more words

to say all the things I’ve already said

when she asks me to say

good things about her:

but I’ve already stated my case;

she just won’t listen.

I look at my face in the mirror-

this man, a stranger

who seems too far away…

the distance a war I’ll never win—

her hand in mine

a battle

I fear I’m losing.