Loveweak III

love me as though you’ve loved and lost before -

unzip me along my backbone, undo

and smooth down the silk of flesh and sinew

love me as though you could not love me more

love me like it is your very first time

as though you’ve never loved, nor suffered loss

as if love does not fade, it only grows

untainted by grief, supreme and sublime

love me as if we’ve neither been heartsore

disrobe me of these outer skin membranes

splay me open and kiss the pulsing veins

school yourself for the scars you will ignore

or love me as if the wounds that were once mine

were meant as gifts for you, my valentine