“After I kiss you goodbye,
I hold your smile in my cupped hands.
I keep my fingers tight,
careful not to let it slip out.
While I walk home, I tuck it
into my shirt pocket,
keeping it safe from the cold breeze.
I feel its warmth there, through
the fabric of my clothing
thumping like a heartbeat.
In the mirror, I retrieve it carefully,
and raise it to my mouth.
I press my lips against it softly,
and in that moment,
Your smile stretches across my face.”