I like him for..

I like him for the word withheld
For the forced sentence
The sentence like a garb
He uses the string of words
Like the silken string
Of the silken curtain
To keep the serenity intact
Of the frozen heart
Of that innocent face
the marble statuette..

I like him for
Carrying the weight
of my empty suitcase
of the unasked question

I like him
As he listens to the story I tell
As he ignores the pages I tear
His silent acknowledgement of my silence
The book is old
Pages were older

I like him as he lets me talk
I talk about the small adventure
I talk about that old misadventure
I talk about my dream
The dream that has chased me
Like some haunted soul
As I try to lose it in the crowd of thoughts

I like him for his courage
To not disregard my childish fear
I like him as he folds his fingers
Lightly cages the panicked bug
Holds it out on the expanse of his palm
For me to see
The bug, the creepiness in the dark
Is nothing but a firefly