I should have known from the start
At first it was social, complimentary
Then more frequent, affordances of
still times
ritual
depth
and breath
Partner to times that raised my heart rate
the closest approximation to a campfire experience with
darting fireflies
a huddle and whispers
interrupted by bolts of laughter
Campaigns waged in my youth
picket signs discarded
Now I just pick at it
A scab
I'll never say never
but I will say "Not this time"
because our time has come
