The "I Love Lucy" Shirt

Every kiss holds a silent I love you.

It expels the words into your skin, because without them I cannot breathe,

I cannot utter the words, cannot let them fill me, linger in the air, nor suffocate in my mind.

I walk alone, away from you.

I see your name spelled, on a random man's shirt.

I look at him, he looks at me.

I look at him and I see you, he looks at me and sees a shadow.

I walk past, pressing my kisses close to my chest, savoring the taste of each dangerous word that begs to leave my lips.

I sit on the curb, clutching kisses, the man with the shirt that has your name sits beside me.

He holds my hand, I tell him I love him.

He looks at me, I look at him,

He knows I see someone else in his reflection, so he walks away.

He kicks himself, and I help him up, I bow my head, lips to the floor, I step away,

Palming what's left of my dignity.