We were that joke, a couple joined at the hip—
But such an oddity had its own appeal.
For us—the wounds kissed long before the lips.
Easy enough to get past the nasty quips:
How codependent we were; how unreal
And comically odd—a couple joined at the hip.
The risk of this: we’re a single nerve from toe to tip—
When one is hurt, the other’s bound to squeal.
The fate of those whose wounds kiss long before their lips.
The upside? Our lives are braided: two strips
Of soul-stuff wound together so we feel
That when our bodies couple at the hip
It’s what the gods intended: a joy that rips
The heart out and serves it as a meal.
When your wounds have kissed long before your lips
Love will always be the bittersweet of whips—
The hurt will deepen long before it heals.
You learn such things when you’re joined at the hip
And your wounds have kissed long before your lips.