What Love Does to You
By Justin Karcher
When you fall in love
suddenly
it’s like darkness doesn’t exist
well, not quite
it simply becomes more manageable
every day discovering new ways of navigating through it
new ways of dealing with it
hand in hand with someone who completely gets you
oh the things you’ll see
auroras of spiders
weaving little webs of sparkles
so you’ll never get lost again
into the woods
with all the breadcrumbs
oh the things you’ll see
airplanes dressed up in flowers
carrying dictionaries
toward your vocal cords
so you’ll always have the right words
at the right time
a karaoke bar
at the bottom of the sea
singing the classics
when someone asks, “Is this it?”
you’ll answer, “We’re just getting started’
every day a borealis of blankets
this never-ending quilt of faded rose gold Polaroids
the perfect vintage lo-fi aesthetic
for the Instagram feed of your heart
when time stops
for all the right reasons & you can relax
like you took some Xanax
but more potent than any pharmaceutical
every day unlocking the secrets of the universe
charcoal postcards & cocktail skewers
floating through space
knowing how to have fun
but also knowing how to find comfort in tough times
because there is strength everywhere you look
sleeping next to someone you love
they’re the double shot of espresso
that gets you going in the morning
every day someone you can discuss your dreams with
someone to be empathetic with
how in Buffalo & the rest of America
the sun gathers together all the eyelashes
the lonely leave behind on pillows
then it scatters them across the sky
may these desires converge somewhere in the middle
so lonely lives are a little less lonely
it’s a blessing
when someone deletes your loneliness
always be thankful
every day be amazed at how much perseverance is out there
be amazed you get to experience that
with someone who completely gets you
street children
holding summer
high above their heads
even though it’s winter
the weight of everyday life
doesn’t feel heavy at all
when you open yourself up
when you’re two instead of one
now imagine life without them
you’re a piano
trapped in a locked room
removing your keys
one by one
but none of your songs
can open the door
now imagine that same locked room
but there’s another piano with you
there’s no need to remove any of your keys
because there’s someone else
& the music the two of you make together
can blast open the door
can part the darkness
then there’s the future
a world of magic & possibility
Shea’s transforming into Hogwarts
the parking meters outside
transforming into microphones
now sing your songs
now say the right words
this is what love does to you