Flavors of Love

I know a girl
who once loved a boy
north of her border
and he would stay
on the phone
while she slept
so she could rest without her demons coming for her
for a change.

There is a girl
who conquered fear
and flew to love
and came back
alone
profoundly in love with the ocean
and grateful for new wisdom.

I knew a man
who loved everything so painfully
that he numbed himself to death
while writing an email
and while I'm fairly certain
it was never meant for my eyes
I would pay money to read it now.

I didn't know the girl
that my friend messaged me from another coast about
who needed someone
and it couldn't be him
so could it be me?
She started shy
but then cried
as she told me how her ex
had recently bitten her face
in the street
after pleading desperate love
again.
And I cried too.
And thought,
there but for the grace of God go I.