Hide and Seek

I don't know if I lose things or if they lose me. 

Keys always seem to slip themselves between bedsheets, phones behind couch cushions, thoughts behind tree branches. 

I retrace my steps, run in circles, I'm sure it's up there in those leaves somewhere, if I could only reach high enough, no, it's lost, it flew away, I run in more circles, I run in to you sideways.

You say, it's around here somewhere.  I am sure of it.  Are you sure you aren't tracing the wrong footprints? 

Soon I start to recognize yours.

And the things we searched for.  

Keys. Constellations. Holes in the bottoms of our shoes. 

Oceans. Answers. Misplaced term papers.  

Maps.  Pavement promises. 

That thing that holds tires down and keeps your keys from sliding off the earth as it spins
when you leave them behind.  

I think it's called gravity? 

And the things we found.  

Empty coffee mugs. Vocal chords.  Rain.  

Hands, eyes, hair left in the shower, broken body parts between our ribs.
Sparks lit in our hands at sundown.
A stomach full of laughter and a mouthful of "remember when-".

The bones within the arches of our feet

that absorb the shock from running.  

We watch each other stick things behind couch cushions, like children bringing in rocks from the garden, things we think we're not supposed to have.  We hit each other in the face when we tear apart the sofa searching.  We hold each other on bathroom floors.  We chase each other down interstates, saying, I know what you like to hide behind your tree branches, where you like to build nests between your shoulders, not knowing what songs your ribs can sing at sunrise.  And when I walk away empty handed, you notice what was missing.  You take me by the hand and tell me, 

Honey - did you know that it was here all along? 

And as I turn my key in the ignition, tires held to pavement a bit later than we planned,

as we scatter like cheatgrass across highways, 

you will still stick yourself to the inside of my shoe. 

You will be always in my rear view mirror
reminding me not to leave important things behind.