you hug me like you’re/i’m/we’re
the whole world
and you knock me
out of balance
out of orbit

out of harmless friendship

and your cheek-kiss
caring/carelessness
eclipses tears
who have already claimed
the territory

sometimes you look at me
with eyes like
ink and obsidian and outer space
and inner space
and you say, “what?”

and i say , “nothing.”
because because why
y – k = ±b⁄a (x – h) is
the equation of the line
we’re always approaching
but never touch