I imagine that my
Heart is like a
Bus filled with tourists
On their way to
The Vatican each with
It’s own purpose many
To be splendidly wowed
Others for the gelato
A few for blessings
Each elbowing the others
For room some even
Saying mama mia as
They’re pressed like garlic
So many so packed
Believing that there’s something
There at the end
Love has a bitter
Aftertaste it lingers and
Like a dog that’s
Just eaten a bug
I spit and wipe
And wretch and gargle
And swish and finally
After the circus has
Left town I can
Once maybe cautiously taste
Love again but with
One eye closed obviously
Stuck in the middle
Between hither and nigh
Rock and hard place
The present and past
Squeezed in vices jaws
You simply can’t breathe
There’s that thing over
There that once was
Sweet comfortable and succulent
But has now soured
And this thing here
Plump exciting and promising
Cautious teasing and playful
Turning away from one
And towards the other
Causes a hearts thunderstorm
Cold and warm fronts
Colliding and me the
Kansas town hunkering down
Hoping for the best
I had a conversation
With myself yesterday
In the form of
Another maybe a younger
Different me with the
Same swagger and slowly
Rising beads of confidence
He wants what I
Now have and upon
Hearing that I wept
And hearing myself say
To this other version
Oh you will lad
Oh yeah you will
Sitting on a tray
In a cold case
People point and ogle
Think and wonder and
Sometimes yes often no
Like men in bars
And puppies in pounds
Or flowers in fields
All knowing that we
Are something something more
Than we appear to
Be if they’d only
Pick us and see
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 