The Breaths Between Us

I am left to count the breaths between us,
as I know not which will be the last.
the first was hers, spent to say “I love you”
Then I spent my breath for justice sake
to say the same.
Now my lungs have fallen silent
and I count the breaths between us.

One for story, two for pain,
three for children
four eyes in the rain,
five for sterling,
six for jade,
seven amber street lights
and the eight ways they fade,
we’re nine breathless shadows
in the alleyway, both of us
ten for the final breath between.