I am done
Writing you poetry
Like the summer 
Turning to fall
The flowers not
Picked will lose
Their lovely buds
Be pruned back
Mulched and covered
Hopefully warding off
The winters dark
They’re still there
But hardly noticed
Hopefully bouncing back
Full of promises
Come springtime when
Someone else will
Admire us both
Me the gardener
You the blossom
And like a
Stew that I’ve
Carefully concocted having
Tossed everything into
Carrots for color
Like my kisses
Potatoes for body
Like my promises
And chunky beef
Like my body
I’ve decided now
To put us
On the back
Burner on simmer
Letting us cool
And taking smaller
Portions in the
Hopes that it
Will last longer
We’re a roller 
Coaster up and
Down and up
We don’t fight
When we’re together
Because together we
Weather our storms
Oh but apart
We throw things
At each other
Fling and sling
Hateful hurtful epithets
Let’s just trust
The who we
Are when we’re
Together and forgive
Who we are
When we’re apart
Okay we shared
Something maybe lots
Of some things
We dined upon
The table that
We are tasted
The forbidden fruits
And they were
Succulent and delicious
And deeply satisfying
And when finished
We pushed away
And went back
To our lives
And whatever we
Do call it
There’s one thing
We can’t deny
We’d dine there
Again because it
Was so good
Why must we
Always label things
It is said
So that we
Create our world
A child sees
Points and says
Dada and mama
And even now
We enjoy someone
And still point
And still say
Boyfriend or lover
Partner or husband
But did God
Upon seeing creation
Point and say
Looky there galaxies
And the stars
And everything else
Or did He
Sit back saying
Wow isn’t that
Just simply marvelous
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 