Come Closer
by Sabyasachi Roy

half of you glows. the other half—hiding behind some night.
your eye a small revolt, like you know
every secret the dark keeps.
I shouldn’t love you. but you’re in my bloodstream,

you lean out of the dark like a dare. I take it.
I take all of it—the hush, the heat…mistake.
your face half-lit, half-lie. your breath, static and church bells.
I want to kiss you through a blackout,
to bite the syllables of your name.

the room tilts. somewhere, someone drops a glass.
you don’t move. you just burn quieter.
I keep calling you shadow,
but you keep answering like a flame.
and god, when the light cuts back in—
when it remembers your skin—
don’t look at me like that. I’ll ruin it. I always do.
but stay. just long enough for me:
to forget which half of us is real.