I like to be held just as much as I like to hold

I will offer my palms to you and urge you to climb in

I will ask you to find your niche in the fault lines that fracture them

burrowing yourself into the head and heart and life and fate that are written in my skin

crawl into me, and know me

I invite you in, I encourage you to count my blinks and measure the lengths of my breaths

but just know, if you offer me this, your humble vulnerability,

and you let me nurture you, your precious safety

I ask just one thing of you in return;

please, do not leave me

when it is my turn to be held