this is not a love poem

I’m not easy to love

I keep most things to myself

I write a lot

I put you, whoever you are neatly between margins

The margins in my notebook

The invisible margins in the back page of my favorite book

The digital margins in my notes app on my phone

I’m not easy to love

I’m warning you

But I’ll love you with breath, memories, and words

I’ll write about when you make me smile

I’ll write about when you don’t make me smile

I’ll write about when you forget things

I’ll write

It’s what I know

It’s how I breathe

It’s how I survive

I’m not easy to love

I think too much

And say too little

I may not love you the way you want to be loved

But I’ll love you with all of me

I’ll love you with breath, memories, and words

I’ll love you like I love to breathe

Writing is how I breathe

I’ll put you between margins

It’s how I breathe