lover's arms

i found her in the tub
her head in her lap
her arms wrapped around her knees
beautiful ball of sorrow
I noticed inches of cool water
and wondered if it was a collection
of her tears
she’d been there for quite a while
she shivered and sank lower
my heart hit tiles below
I tried to comfort her
“baby, it’s ok. come here.”
she shook her head and made herself smaller
beautiful ball of sorrow
i could smell her tears
i got to my knees
and sprang my love upon her
my arms wrapped around her arms wrapped around her knees
wrapped up in each other
i could taste her tears
"baby, it’s ok. come here,”
i would say
“show me your pretty face.”
she pressed her face even deeper
into her knees
that were wrapped in her arms that were wrapped within my own
“baby, i love you,”
i would say
“please show me your pretty face.”
then her sobbing faded and
she began coming back to me
slow and reluctant
beautiful ball of sorrow
first eyes then nose and finally
her mouth
revealed
eyeliner had bled and made rivers of her cheeks
my heart exploded on tiles
it was the most beautiful i had ever seen her
i whispered, “i love you,”
and she whispered it back
she wrapped her arms around my arms wrapped around her
wrapped up in each other
eyeliner rivers down her thighs

i can’t hurt her anymore