quiet enough to hear it. • marcus amaker

think of
all the ways
an animal
can communicate
with us
without
using words.

an owl
hums
short stories
through the smoke
of backyard bonfires,

a cat
quietly
purrs
and sends
the message,
“your hands
are my home.”

i want
my brain
to not immediately
reach for words
when i see you.

to cut out
the unnecessary
sounds
our mouths make
when we slip
into small talk,

to skip the parts
that separate us.

can we hold hands
and find a safe place
with a smile?

can we write
the story
of each other
without
using words?

give ourselves
a forest to
grow from?

the tree
to land on?

if so,
i’ll accept you
for who you are,

love you
for who
you are becoming,

put my paw
on your chest
and keep it there,

steady.