I saved the air

you breathed
and stuffed it into a jar
from the other night when you slept over.

if I let a leaf land on me
does it mean I am the chosen one

I opened the jar after you left
and sucked in all the air
I stole from you
during your
rapid
eye
movement
cycle

deep sleeping
next to me
is a testimony

with strings the size
of baby hairs I tied
your oxygen together
and knitted a blanket
of you for my throat

I let you lie there
like it is a gift
to even have permission
although the only way
I get
kisses from you
is by putting you
in my mouth
myself

if I keep you to myself
am I selfish

will anyone notice you are gone
if I eat you whole
and clean the jar
and sell it at a garage sale
for a little boy
to play with
and rock
and roll it
down a slide
convinced it'll never break
because as a kid,
anything that breaks
is a synonym for a
lie

I let you lie there
like it is a gift
to be a part of
my premonition

taking someone's breath away
is a synonym for murder

but they only tell you
minutes before
the death penalty

they only tell you
minutes before
your heart
is able to understand
why it bum-bum beats
like it is swimming
in a blood bath
of angels.