They always signed, “Love, x” —

x being the factor asking you for a favor

or correcting you

or maybe, maybe encouraging you.

It didn’t matter the content.

The email always ended with

“Love.”

They tainted that word,

at least as signature.

One of us started signing

“xoxo.”

And now we all do.

If I think about it

I know x’s and o’s

are kisses and hugs,

and those aren’t always

what I’d pass out.

But, to me,

“xoxo” now means “love”

in a way that’s true

and not forced.

And I only sign it if I mean it.