Patience Waning

In evening chill your nervousness radiates
and makes my skin crawl
--an invisible trembling buried in sinews and flesh--
Your blush reddens my expression
Elation wrung lifeless and covered in terror
deeper than in silence or pregnant pause.

Just look me in the eye, not shoulder
--I know you’re afraid
I feel fear violating my emotions—
Our pupils locked speak more than shaking lips
More than the accidental brush of fingers
or a wide-mouthed vacant grin.

If I reached across to touch your shoulder,
would you shirk back cringing from the thunder
and the lightning of my longing?
Do I dare?
Do I dare to disturb your comfortable universe
where planets hang still and only Luna waxes,
wanes with my patience?

Your lips are moving and sound must emerge,
But my eyes are drawn to the asymmetry of eager expression
--exasperating story-mode once again--
And time has slowed, stopped, my heart aflutter and
the train-of-thought now fully derailed.

Your distance was justified while we were apart,
but now even close proximity cannot break the barrier about your heart
--or so it would seem--
I long to shake you by the shoulders and scream:
“Just what is it you want us to be?
If you’ve caught my drift, then shut your mouth and kiss me!”