man

Man.

Words worth? Worth his words
weight in gold.
Man, sometimes I think he's more in love
with his words of me
than with me
How could he love me?
He does not know me
in every sense of the word

An inkling maybe,
of pen to paper
But
He does not know me
completely

Do not lift me up so high
that you can no longer
touch me

I am human
I need touch
almost as much as
water
and
air
and the ground you place your own
blissful feet upon

He doesn't know me
not everything
only what I've chosen to share

I've been up there before
on a pedestal
more than
once

I didn't share that
It is not my place
Flattering, yes, for a while
but

How can you love someone
you've lifted so high
that
you can no longer feel

my breath on your neck?
feel my hand
seeking yours?
hold my body close to your heavenly warmth?

Do not love the idea of me
Love me

Maybe it is more comfortable,
in pondering my existence,
to put me up and away

If you cannot feel me
see me
eye to eye
on hallowed and unhallowed ground
I cannot disappoint you
Is that it?

I've been there
before
that isn't what I want


I am not his creation
or
observation

I am me
I breathe I hope I dream I succeed I fail I laugh I cry

I bleed

I move


Words turn my head
pages like a guilty pleasure
Share them,
your words belong to you. All of them. A part of you I love.
Of course
I am fascinated with every letter

but

put them
on paper
bind them
in a book

that we might read aloud
together
at a later point in time
looking back with fondness at this uncertain juncture
trepidation thankfully resolved

I might trace letters on your magnificent frame
your flesh pulled tightly from bone to beautiful bone
free from cover
on some
lazy warm morning, sun streaming in from open window
cracked
to hear the first sounds of daybreak
or
you might slowly trace my wanting flesh with your
fingers,
reading and writing braille
on my aching form
some
invigorating midnight, lit only by the moon

Here and now
I read the pages
how far can they get us?
no matter how perfectly phrased
or
artfully arranged on paper or silk screen?

I am flesh and blood
a woman
worth knowing
certainly
in every sense of the word

I can entertain you
and even inspire your thoughts
with some version of me
gladly,happily

but do not be confused

I am so much more (and less)
than
your vision of me

you can't know me
you can't truly love me

if you only imagine me

Oh, Man.

You know

I'm guilty too

dangerously
recklessly
we fall in love
with a vision, a dream
there's nothing wrong with that
unless there's no blissful climax
to this illusion
this dream
these words

I put you on a pedestal
how could I not?

Man, you,
standing before me
invading my thoughts
Your body your mind your soul
Rare Worthy Beautiful Man

It is uncomfortable
and
immobilizing
being on a pedestal like some
Greek god or goddess

Limits your ability to move,
doesn't it?
for fear
you'll step off
tumble crashing to earth
ending in a pile of unattractive rubble
Broken beyond repair

It looks good,
it doesn't feel good,
does it?
I know you're not used to this
Neither am I
I want you, the man, not an out of reach statue
of perfection
I see your flaws (from your mind)
embedded in your body
Let me caress them
and tell you its okay
You don't have to be perfection
You just have to be you, man.

So

Don't put me on a pedestal
And I won't put you there either

I breathe I move I love I change
as you do

Two pairs of
pink bare feet on warm wet grass
holding your hand in the morning
your body close
looking out together at the wonder
of life at daybreak
feeling hot sunshine
warming our heads at noon
drawing ever closer together at twilight
when the chill sets in
observing
mapping our own stars
long after sunset

That is my dream
those are my words

I'm sorry I put you up there
on that lonely cold column

You belong to the earth as well as the sky
free to move
free to walk next to me, if you wish,
holding my hand
leading my body to places we both want to go,


If that is your will and not simply your words-
as profound as they are?

You have conquered my mind with your words
you have pierced my heart with your pen
you have only to hold me again
with your eyes
and
your arms
and
your body so warm and present

I will melt into you and flow over you
and seep into the warm wet ground
honoring the earth, envisioning the heavens
with you
by my side
because
you're by my side
on the earth.

Man