Love as Wind-Tossed Paper

“I love you,” she said.
“You don’t even like me,” I said.
the recipe for the perfect argument
worth its furry
both of us wrong.

beautiful lovers,
short-lived friends—
no heart to be an enemy
but sometimes i wish

passing glance
subdued by passion spent
long ago that brought
the blindness of fools

that cannot hide us
from daylight
the not-quite lies
now illuminated, I can’t bear to see

we squint, grasping for
the word that makes us win
hollow prizes
with hands coming up empty

why won’t she listen
why can’t he hear
“If I didn’t love you…” I say.
“If you really loved me…” she says.