And just when
I thought maybe
That simple maybe
Turned to no
And I was
Casually tossed aside
Like a magazine
In a waiting
Room once the
Real purpose for
Your visit happened
Was I just
That a thing
To take your
Mind off of
Other things bad
News things things
That you wanted
To avoid if
So and in
The future please
Tell the person
Well before hand
That they’re nothing
More than a
Creased yellowed and
Dog eared distraction
In a life
That you would
Prefer to forget
Why don’t some
Things just end
Why do some
Things carry on
Why can’t we
Simply be a
Machine that seizes
Up and stops
Once the oil
Of our love
Turned to sludge
But no oh
No we continue
Whacking and hacking
As though we
Were clearing jungle
Pointing out this
And accusing that
Like a couple
Of barristers arguing
Their clients innocence
Are we both
Not guilty of
The same crime
Stealing the love
That we thought
Was clearly given
How can you
Expect me to
Love someone that
Doesn’t love poetry
Do you expect
Me not to
Bruise and bleed
Sigh and smile
Whisper these things
Only to you
How can you
Deny me yet
Ask me to
Love you when
In fact you
Don’t love the
One thing that
Makes me me
Fear not for
I don’t fear
That he will
Whomever he is
Will love poetry
Just as much
As loving me
I want to
I really do
But I can’t
And I won’t
I won’t do
This for you
If I did
If I do
You won’t see
Because that time
Has now passed
And this time
If I do
Do for me
You will never
See because before
You did see
And didn’t care
And now now
It’s just me
Standing in the
Valley of my
Broken hearts I
Look to the
Mountains of possibilities
And wonder that
If I climb
Up there will
There be sky
Or will up
There simply be
Other valleys that
I don’t yet
See is love
Really just that
Peaks and valleys
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 