relationship poems

Charmed

She couldn’t help laughing when
He came up to her and sneezed
In the middle of introducing himself.

She was charmed by the way he
Mixed up his words when she
Asked him the simplest question.

She was intrigued by every part of
Him and soon they were married
In a large, joyful ceremony.

She couldn’t have foreseen the
Other secrets uncharming,
Revealed in daily life.

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Never Would Say

She never would say why
She dated the men who didn’t
Treat her well. One could surmise
That things hadn’t been at all
Stable.

She never would say why
She dated the other guys, the ones who
Called and behaved irregularly and
Insolently insisted on having their
Freedom.

She never would say why
She did not date the next person.
The one who treated her wonderfully.
One might gather that it wasn’t
For her.

Cost

She said something that was
Deeply meaningful to her, a secret
Kept for too long at too great a cost.
When it was time, she let it out and
Waited. Uncomfortable squirms,
Furrowed brows, relived memories,
Erupted into slashing counterattacks.
Protect the fabricated narrative
At all costs. Lock the truth back in
It’s cell and mention not its name again,
Harden defenses, change the subject.

Notice

A lovely quiet neighborhood,
Peaceful homes tidily arranged
Around a park. Birds sing,
Bunnies frolic on the grass,
Children giggle, flowers bloom,
Trees whisper, neighbors smile,
The sunshine warms everything
It touches, cheerful relaxing days.

Kindness has not visited one home
In a long while. A stern, agitated,
Vigilant, halting settler, inner voices
Barely contained. Imposing angry
Noises on the calm as was done in
His childhood homes. He couldn’t
Wait to leave, now he pays homage.
Neighbors warily pretend not to notice.

Day Job

You told me not to quit my day job
When I sang a song. You told me
Not to quit my day job when I told a
Silly joke. You told me not to quit my
Day job when I started writing a book.
I decided to quit my day job, where
Does that leave you?

Who Matters

The rage arising
From not having a voice,
Being denied the
Dignity of sharing
What’s on one’s mind,
Participating as an equal
In the conversation,
Listened to,
Uninterrupted,
Treated as someone
Who matters.

Hear Me

Don’t tell me that you didn’t hear
Me. My voice is omnipotent and I
Take great pains to raise it adequately
When I need you to pay attention.
Are you listening? I can’t tell whether
You are or not through my cascade of
Verbiage mercilessly engulfing everything
In its wake. Unnoticed, the sound of
Another voice, doused.

Alternatives

Sorry my kindness didn’t meet
Your expectations, fear gripping
So tightly, no room left for
Alternatives, restricted space.

Sorry my smile sent you into
Paroxysms of suspicion,
Alien threat writhing deep within,
No alternatives to constriction.

Sorry my caution elicited such
Confusion and bewilderment,
Lack of respect brazenly hurled,
No alternatives to entrenchment.

Nectar

A man prone to depression
Thought about his life in terms of what
Was wrong. He spent many years in
Solitude until he met a woman who was
Sure she could fix him. No matter how
Low he went, she was there to cradle him.
Precious despair tended to well.

Years passed with the branch bending ever
Closer to the ground until it
Mercifully snapped. Nothing left to
Bear once the fog lifted. The pair grew
Apart. He moved to greener climes, she to
Another flower offering the nectar.