not quite

a scorched tongue from your favorite soup that could've
been avoided if you had just waited - but it looked SO good and at least now
you know next time to just wait

like the tide waits for the moon
not eager like Valentine's merchandise sitting on shelves on the 26th of December or
an invitation to Sunday brunch before having Saturday night's hangover and how could I
say yes to mimosas and hash browns before taking that shot of tequila -
no lime, hold the salt
let the alcohol

linger

in the back

of my throat

like a comment being suppressed by politeness because
if I didn't have anything nice to say then I wouldn't
say anything at all
and so I didn't
until my silence became so deafening
I nearly lost myself before I found my way
home
to you
and you welcomed me
with open arms and a closed heart
an unannounced house guest with the worst
timing
and the best intentions
a familiar stranger who had once
been asked to leave and come back later