the light reflects off your face
you aren’t supposed to be this pale
living here is supposed to mean you’re happy
tanned and dripping wet
as you come in to shore with the waves
but you never play in the water anymore
all you talk about anymore
is the studio loft you want to get for us
all you talk about anymore
is shopping on fifth after breakfast at tiffany’s
and writing in coffee shops in the afternoon
but i love it here
i want to stay in this cottage with you
raise our children to surf the way you used to
to love barbeques the way you used to
you never used to be this pale
you never used to stay inside
you photograph our life now more than you live it
and you traded cute crops for black sweaters
and your cutoffs are faded from salt and sun
but your sleeves have yet to fray
each night i sleep next to you seems less restful
each time i embrace you there is less of you to hold
you never used to be this pale
i want to be free like we were when we met
i want you to be happy again
i want you to run along the shore with me like you used to
i want to rub aloe into your sunburns again
you aren’t supposed to be this pale
you never used to be this pale
Lexxie Rae is a sophomore majoring in Public Relations.
