Willing Captive

Love barged into my
reluctant heart
etched its presence on my
yielding walls
pampered me,
fondled and caressed
my willing flesh.

Love made me choose
to follow you
changed my tune
to suit your rhyme
held me tenderly
and stopped time
made me blind
to the flashing signs.

Love became unfaithful
and many times unkind,
errantly wandering from
home time after time
chiding didn’t succeed
no amount of shouting could
coaxing followed soon after
but love remained unmoved.

Love returned quite unlikely
strode back into my life
like it was a hallway.
Part of me longed to resist
make my visage a flint
hard and unyielding.
Love is no fool,
it conquered and will
conquer yet again.

Love is home for now,
though I know that I know
love may go again
some time, some where,
but my heart’s fortress
swings open when love beckons
I am Judas when love
holds me in its arms
so I love while I can
and if love wanders
I’ll wait for love to return.

==========

Rain on my Parade

Inevitably, he left.
Left me heart-broken but unsurprised,
like gravity, it was inescapable.
He was married and that was why,
I knew we had only been living a lie.

Abruptly, he left.
Raced me from Utopia back to Earth,
faster than the speed of light.
He waved reality under my nose,
and purposefully strode out the door.

Unapologetically, he left.
Disillusioned but determined,
to end our life of cohabiting.
The wrathful heavens had unleashed brimstone and sleet
just as my festooned parade marched down Main Street.

==========

– Charlina Beauty Smith (Mrs.)