protection.

protection.
a collection of poems by

jason m. osburn

i give this to all of you...

you who,

gave me yourselves
so that i could be me.

protection.

for creatures
like you
like me

protection.

sticks
stones
skins

these are mine

it was you,
wasn't it.

you who
impregnated this desire,

deep

within my soul.

do you remember.

when it was,

when you stole my heart?

back then,
when i was young, naive.

back then,
20 minutes ago
you were fresh,
fresh in my mind.

the smells and textures.
all so real. now.

back then i cared,
for you, your needs
my desires, wants.

but like i said...
back then.

i was a romantic, once...

when i was young
and my heart was free.
emotions were reckless.

i believed in love, once.

with it the passions.
the passions,
desires that rage

inside me still

waiting for that moment,
release.

and that day.

heaven opened

and if i didn't shout out

the stones would cry,

"i love. i hurt."
"i wound and i heal."

so i opened up my heart and i

i shouted.

consumed by your thoughts

my passion rages,
against my will

i keep wondering...
pondering.
thinking.

all about you.

you felt my empty shell,

touched it,
heard its hollows
and saw it for the flaws

and still, after that you...
you cared.

i am special.

this is what you told me.

should i, could i...
believe in these,
these your silly little lies.

i think i can
and i think i will.

and so to you, i say

you are so special,
so beautifully unique
so beautifully you

i kept my eyes open,

open for one more day...
one more day without you.

and as it passed (the day)
i needed the sleep.
to sleep away the webs in my head

so i closed my eyes
to fall into the night.

and then i saw it, you
in my night,
haunting my closed sight.

it felt as if it was so close
to me, this, you

and so i felt you...
this close.

and then it became so far.

the distance,

i felt it,
the gap between you and i.

but again i looked at it
me, this, you

and this is what it was
these,

those in between days.