Loner

The first 24 seconds without you,
I was cool. Calm.
Your words still linger in my mind.

The next 24 minutes without you,
I wasn’t cool. I was disturbed.
So I called, just to hear your voice.

The first 24 hours without you,
I might lose my compass, become irrational.
Then I won’t stop thinking about you.

The loner is outside;
But I’ll be here,
waiting—patiently—for you to come back,
waiting for you to drown me in your affection.