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How to Love Someone You Don’t Know

A Poem

By Ariel OleynikovPublished 5 years ago 3 min read
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Fading Fireworks

The short answer? Don’t.

The long answer? You’re going to anyway.

And since you’re going to anyway, well…

You’re going to think about how they woke up in the morning, back when they lived with their parents.

You’re going to imagine that their room was a pale colour, and though not all of your posters were the same, it’s a strange, wonderful coincidence that so many were.

You’re going to picture the light filtering into their room.

You’re going to see their beautiful hair glistening just before they wake up.

You’re going to love that the only thing that could get them up in the morning was their dog running into—or

… or were they more of a cat person?

It’s easier if you don’t.

But you will anyway.

And since you will anyway, well…

You’re going to start falling asleep to them.

Your mind will love the way love feels in your imagination, almost like you’ve got a mug of tea in your hands and it’s traveling into each part of you—but it’s not real.

You’re going to drift off, pretending that they’ve slid in behind you and it’s a great surprise because you weren’t supposed to see them today, but

“Well, work let me off early, and I decided I couldn’t go another night without you, so here I am.”

And you’re going to feel their arms snake around you and the warmth against your back as they whisper goodnight.

It’s easier if you don’t, but, dammit, you will!

And, you may as well…

Imagine your first date.

You’re going to plan everything right down to the second.

You’re going to feel and see and hear when your hands meet for the first time—but the few brushes before that are just so wonderful.

You’re going to be able to conjure up the feeling of their pinky against yours.

You’re going to be able to shudder at their shoulder brushing against you.

You’re going to picture the lighting before your eyes as you stroll, finally hand-in-hand, down some path.

Maybe it’s not where you actually wanted your first date with them to be, but it feels perfect because

Oh my GOD here they are and they’re holding your hand and this is

Perfect

It is so

Much

Easier

If you don’t

But you’re going to anyway.

And then you’re going to jolt back into your classroom and realize that you’ve missed three slides worth of theory and your prof isn’t going to go back.

You’re going to wake up to the ugliness of your alarm and realize that this is another day where you live in a city far too many kilometers away and, anyway, you haven’t received a goodnight text from them—ever.

You’re going to remember that you don’t remember if they were a cat person or a dog person or maybe snakes? God, you hope it’s not snakes.

You’re going to realize that there’s a reason people tell you it takes a while to fall in love.

You’re going to realize that everything you’ve been dreaming and thinking and picturing has been a reflection of yourself, and maybe a way to love just you.

You’re going to realize that you don’t know their intricacies

You don’t know the spiral webs that weave each part of their existence and, honestly, you probably never will at this point.

When you tell someone that you love them and they tell you that you don’t because you don’t know them

Don’t be offended or run home or cry or think that maybe something is unrequited

Realize that, honestly?

It really is easier if you don’t.

love poems
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About the Creator

Ariel Oleynikov

I'm a university student with a passion for writing!

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