Tourniquet

i remember how it was
and your steady grip
that tightens with
every moment
of fear or happiness.
you even said
that plain understanding
and compromise
will do the trick
and all of this
is nothing but
temporary compression.
but then i defer
with fear
because your grip
proves you wrong.

***
…and in the end we choose
to let it go like the view
of a prominent vein without
the pressure of tourniquet