I Should’ve Asked (Poem #20)

You always have a way of telling me to stop
When I pour hot water in a cup
you’d tap me on my shoulder and say,
“stop right there, it would lose its flavor”

When I work too hard and it’s nearly 3 o’clock
you’d rub my back and say
“come to bed, you had enough”

When I missed a deadline
and I couldn’t stop crying
you stayed by my side and said
“don’t stress over a job,
you’re better than that”

When I lost a friend again
and I told you about how it wouldn’t stop hurting
you said,
“having someone worth losing, is one great blessing”

When we got on a huge fight
and I started to rant
you kissed me mid sentence
and the presence of your lips on mine
ended up messing my vocabulary

So when you left and I set you free
I realized my biggest mistake
was forgetting to ask:

when it comes to love,
how do I stop?
If I can’t stop loving you,
what should be the first thing to do?