Even in You

My loving of you

does not make me weak.

My loving you,

despite your withheld love for me

does not make me foolish.

My loving of you,

despite your lack of respect,

and your deep ignorance,

of just how profound and amazing

my love really is,

even this,

does not make me stupid.

In fact,

it makes me incredible.

That I could find something to love

still,

even in you.

Assumptions

I have to be practical.
I have to be clean.
I have to be efficient.
I have to be on time.
I have to be rational.
I have to be measurable.
I have to work hard.
I have to apply myself.
I have to achieve.
I have to succeed.
I have to excel.
I have to contain.
I have to explain.
I have to be smart.
I have to be thin
I have to be pretty
I have to be loving
I have to be kind
I have to be a good person
I have to go to yoga
I have to medicate
I have to have a family
I have to have a dog
I have to love my parents
I have to have a mentor
I have to travel
I have to do thing better than you
I have to compete
I have to get good marks
I have to provide for myself
I have to save trees
I have to recycle
I have to have an opinion on politics
I have to vote
I have to get in line
I have to stand in line
I have to pay my dues
I have to struggle
I have to be grateful
I have to love myself
I have to feel great
I have to have fun
I have to be fun
I have to get up
I have to be a morning person
I have to eat healthy
I have to be strong
I have to have friends
I have to have a partner
I have to be loved
I have to be social
I have to know culture
I have to be witty
I have to be cute
I have to smile
I have to wash my face
I have to brush my teeth
I have to read
I have to write
I have to play an instrument
I have to plant a garden
I have to clean my house
I have to rise to the top
I have to know geography
I have to learn new languages
I have to say something useful
I have to help you
I have to examine my life
I have to spell properly
I have to do math
I have to hear my heart song
I have to be loved by attractive people
I have to be loved by smart people
I have to hate the wrong things
I have to love the right things
I have to nap
I have to get 8 hours
I have to push through
I have to go to bed earlier
I have to get up on time
I have to do it anyway
I have to put my nose to the grindstone
I have to pay attention
I have to play the game

I have to
be authentic. 

I am a series of ongoing, incomplete assumptions.

Aurore

Pierced,
by warming dew,
the dripping leaves
fall,
like the tears of trees.

Echoes of a lonely night,
lost rays,
of dead sunshine,
nothing left but steam,
and cold water
to trickle down gutters,
along with,
the debris and hubris,
drunks,
and disease. 

A diesel engine roars,
and nighttime flickers,
casting an auburn stare,
of panoramic golds,
an inspiring obligation,
for a few old bones,
who quiver and ache,
from the bitter taste,
of daylight.

Oh the the moment,
between night and day,
to be up in the rising swell,
witness to the turbulent parade
mixing our before and afters,
on a timeless interstate. 

Of all the things there are to see,
this is the one,
that will always be precious to me.