tic-tac-toe

i was in a playground
i needed to test out the slides, monkey bars, and swings
but mainly, the game of tic-tac-toe

and at first there was a momentum with the swings,
this gentle and playful exchange of words and touch
then the monkey bars took out most of my energy,
proving to me i had to stretch out and reach with my might
to see if you were gonna meet me as i met you on your side
from up top, i descended down the slides with its swerves, 
translating into the spontaneity of the night spent together

that game of tic-tac-toe mirrored our sparing texts
proofs of calculated wordplay in different places
nobody won
because x's and o's hide reasonings

you gave me x's and i gave you o's
the o's were marked with my innocence and interest
you threw me your x's
and crossed out options for us to meet on fair terms

you owned your x's
and in my blindness, i gave you my inviting o's
that was never going to be a tie

08-2015