Bloodsport

nothing is perfect
but your
imperfections are quaint
the very first time I saw you
was at an event
in your college
you told me
you weren't going to go
but I still went with a friend
I spent the first
half an hour
feeling hopeful
that I would see you
and the next
half an hour
pouring the same hope
down the drain

but before I could pour
the last drop,

there you were

I'm not going to say,
" I fell in love with you
the very first time I saw you "
because then I'd be lying
but I did want to pack my bags
and learn the languages of the World
just so I could have
six thousand five hundred
different ways
to say,
" hello. "
you made me want to enroll
in every art school
on the face of the Earth
just so I could
paint something
as mesmerizing as you
but I know for a fact
I wouldn't even come close
girl, you lit lanterns
across my spine
and there was nothing but
light
when I saw you

but

before I could take
my first step
towards you
before I could speak
my first words
to you
damn,
you were with another man
who soon after
became your boyfriend

needless to say,
the lanterns you lit
quickly burned
my paper mache body that day

although I think
your love is worth the wait
I would rather see you happy
even if it isn't
with me

if something or
someone
was made for you
then no sky-scraping mountain
no deep-drowning sea
no alligator-filled swamp
no Earth-shaking earthquake
or lightning-speed quicksand
can ever stop you
not even for a second

but if something
or someone
was not made for you
even if she were right
between your lips
you would never
be able to
kiss
her