Love is a Nuance

What do we know?

I’ll admit I’m too young to think about love,

I’m not even 20— what do I know?

But I see it in the way mama peels an orange for me before she even asks if I’m hungry,

I see it in the long voice messages I get from a girl who lives on an entirely different continent,

I see it in the way my friend scans the room, eyes lingering for only a second longer on that one boy,

I see it in the way my best friend listens to me rant about the same problem over and over again,

I see it in the way you care for me, forever gentle,

When we‘re alone, we discuss the nuances of love

We’re only kids, what do we know?

But do you not see the love a newborn has for their mother? The way they stop crying as soon as they make contact with her skin?

Isn’t it obvious in the eyes of dogs watching their owners go about their daily routine?

Is it not apparent in the way moss grows on trees, wrapped all around?

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