It's flowery with the scent
of the metaphoric rose petals
clinging to the edges of each page.

The words dance as if
locked in a lover's waltz,
moving steadily and yet always together
connected.

The four-letter word never appears and
you wonder, still, where my heart lies
between the lines.

It is obvious to me.

I have pressed my smile into the pores
of the paper,
the ink my happiness, spelling laughter.

I have held these edges
with my own hands,
feeling the stinging pain of paper cuts,
sacrificing, in order to produce something
worthy of you.

I have put my lips lovingly against its face,
as I pretend that its face is yours.
I kiss it, so that my kiss
will be eternal.

I have caressed each word with my pen,
as I have lovingly caressed your body
and I close my eyes and whisper to the word,
willing them to live with your spirit.

My heart has nowhere to hide
on this black and white canvas of words
that I give to you.

My heart cannot hide
because as you read this,
you hold it in your hands.