Not wanting to write br for fear that anything- br the passion for the page, br the love of carbon ribbons & erasers- br will distract me from your face, br from your eyes green br as the flickering base of flames, br & your tarnished copper hair. br br My love is thick as rust br & just as hard to scrape off. br It glows like the green roofs of paris: br it shines in the sun like dropped pennies. br br I fix on your face br until I am blurred & bleared, br until my eyes cannot focus br & all words become one. br br Oh let me write you into my life! br I am afraid of rust & tarnish, br but even more afraid of this gleam.