Once, you held my hand

and smiled.

You took my hand in yours

and said I love you

through your teeth.

You sat with my hand in your lap

and told me what was wrong.

What was wrong with me

happened differently,

at distance,

back turned,

shoulder cold,

eyes cast like iron

filings flung into a lake.

Once, I tied your heart around me

with second hand string

and swam out after you,

choking for all the good it did me.

I took your hand in mine

and tried to save you

from yourself.