avatarCrystal Jackson

Summary

The text describes an intense, unspoken emotional connection between two individuals who are hesitant to express their feelings verbally, culminating in a silent yet profound communion through a kiss.

Abstract

The narrative captures a moment of deep emotional tension between two people who struggle to articulate their feelings. The protagonist's internal struggle is palpable as they taste the bitterness of unexpressed words, feeling a silence as sharp as knives. Despite the physical proximity, there is a sense of emotional distance, with both characters seemingly trapped by their past and unable to reach out to each other. The protagonist longs for closeness, aching for the other's touch and comfort. As time ticks away, their mutual desire eventually bridges the gap, leading to an intimate moment where words are replaced by a kiss, allowing their hearts to beat in unison and their emotions to intertwine without the need for speech.

Opinions

  • The author conveys a profound sense of longing and emotional depth, suggesting that sometimes words are inadequate to express true feelings.
  • There is a subtle critique of the barriers we build that prevent us from connecting with others, whether due to past hurts or personal insecurities.
  • The text implies that non-verbal communication, such as eye contact and physical touch, can be more powerful and authentic than spoken words.
  • The protagonist's experience indicates a belief in the transformative power of physical intimacy to heal and convey emotions that words cannot capture.
  • The repeated use of "tick-tock-tick" emphasizes the importance of seizing the moment and not letting time slip by without expressing one's true feelings.

If Only You’d Come Closer

Softly, at the Edge of How I Feel

+*99Photo by Viliman Viliman on Unsplash

Softly, at the edge of how I feel, I come to you with lips pressed tightly to hold the words inside my mouth. I’ve tasted them so long that the sweetness has a bitter edge. I cannot swallow them down or spit them out. I want to speak them into your mouth, to let them go and have them returned to me again.

Instead, I stand there feeling a silence as sharp as knives slicing down my arms. I wrap them around me and resent that they aren’t your arms. Your arms hang limply at your side, held there by your inability to reach for me. Or to comfort even yourself at this hour.

Your eyes hold mine, and why does it feel like even that contact is at arm’s length? You watch your reflection in my eyes, and I watch mine watching you. An endless loop. You cannot see me at all, only the echoes of a past that’s hurt you.

If only you’d come closer.

The tick-tock-ticking of the clock seems to grow inside this space, and my own heart is pounding in my ears. Your heart is pounding in my memory, my head resting against your chest, your hand tangled in my hair and moving softly. I’m caught as firmly as you once held my hair, wrapped tight around your fist and pulled close. Tick-tock-tick, and I wonder how long I am to taste the words without speaking them.

There’s sweetness on my tongue and softness in my gaze as I step closer, your mouth a breath away from mine.

Your hands stretch, an involuntary movement, as if they long to intertwine with mine.

Your head tilts a moment, and the image of you leaves my gaze, leaving your eyes nothing left to hold on to but me.

Tick-tock-tick and the beating of our hearts align.

Softly, no longer on the edge of how I feel but in it, I slowly close the distance.

Lips meet, my breath catches, and the words are released from my mouth into yours.

My eyes close.

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Poetry
Prose
Relationships
Love
Communication
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