My eyes burning and blurry
fixed on the Honolulu International Center arena
where she’s with her family at a kung fu exhibition
the dome that holds my new love
my arms stiff as iron
hands in a death grip of the steel railing
the shadows of carp criss-crossing
cruising the limits of their circumscribing moat
entrenched in my anxiety
nerves twinging like swarming fireflies
prison of adrenaline banging against the bars of my brain
free range sweat staining my shirt darker
jumbled mind coursing
what to say
as I wait
and wait
practice opening lines
for her come on out
emerge
come to me
lightning blindingly
come
my first real date ever
Lanning Lee 