counting to nineteen

all that's in my head is leaving songs
our feet tangled in each other
because neither of us wants to step away

as we lay in our quiet eye
the storm whispering behind the door,
scratching like a thirsty cat,
I try not to love you
so it stings a little less, you see

I fix on our opposite breathing-
you push in my stomach while I breathe it in
and shy away from my skin as I breathe out-

but every nineteen breaths
our lungs fall into rhythm
our breathing in tune
and all that's in my head is this leaving song
and for a moment I don't mind the stinging,

but it's starting to rain a little harder
so let's count to nineteen a little faster
and hum this part a little louder