Skills Training — Xan

Skills Training

could you imagine

me, actually loving you?

Not sheets,

nor knees,

nor “I like when you say please…”

I’m talking mid-morning diner seats,

grand-slams, high fives, laughing.

coastlines and staring into other’s eyes,

feeling the gentle cool of the Atlantic,

lap over our feet

while we stand

ankle deep

in the sea.

honestly, I’m just curious:

could I learn to cook like a Michelin

stary-eye’d chef? just for you?

from an apartment kitchen, alone?

probably.

I don’t even want to,

I just know I would for you.

all the while,

I’d refuse any and all accolades,

or thank you’s, awards or praises.

wouldn’t help it if I could,

I’m building skills

for new hobby: loving you.

…and if you’d let me:

I’d build you a record store in your living room.

stocked with the greats,

the deep cuts,

even a few cliché’ ones,

add a vinyl press in the back

so that your expert, custom soundtracks

could be for real

and pressed in black.

“seriously?

all this?

for me?”

please,

for you

this is nothing.

I mean for you:

I’d learn how to manufacture luck,

to ensure you always had

the best parking spot,

the winning scratch off,

the last pick at white elephant,

that kinda shit.

“nah, really?”

I couldn’t even fathom:

The world I’d want to create

specifically for you. Only.

not even me.

I’d love to see:

what’d I’d do to build it,

the types of training it’d take,

and my commitment.

no matter, for you it’s

piece of (gluten free) cake.

I’d probably end up learning Mandarin,

on accident. later remembering,

“shit, it’s Japanese!”

but I’d still be trying

and working

to make everything just a little better

or a lot better

for you.

“stopppp.”

I’d love to learn all the things I could do,