Reasons

Seems like a lifetime ago now...

the first time I saw him – naked,
all snake-hipped, and dragon-tattooed;

I remember I told him a birthmark
on his thigh looked like a duck
with an umbrella.

It made him smile;
his arms – sun-bronzed, except
for a silver ladder of scars...

I tracked with my fingers.

His eyes gave me the answer
to the, ‘Why?’ my lips couldn’t say...

told me, he’d almost drowned, one day, but
what he’d done helped him tread water...
for a while, at least.

I kissed each rung of that ladder –
hard climbed, and every one,
another reason

I loved him.