Love is a buoy shaped like a triangle,
equal on all sides,
whose three points are Us joined from two whole “I”s.

If I sacrifice myself on the altar of us—
give more than I have,
occupy less space to make room for yours—

I am fractured and we are crippled.

If I hold myself above us—
take more than I give,
occupy your space as well as mine—

I am inflated and we are shrunk.

Love doesn’t sink
like two bodies wrapped together in chains,
or capsize
like a ship poorly handled from holding each other hostage with blame.

What makes us Us, is our connection
to ourselves and then each other.

What makes Us = love is our intentions
in our connecting ourselves with each other.

When we part—
because nothing lasts forever—
let’s not go down with the ship.

Let’s each remain whole
and sink softly into each other’s memory,
so that when nostalgia dings,
we recall Us like a treasure haul.