when it comes to fear
sympathy is more loving
than empathy, and you
owe me neither, because
love is not earned.
do not imagine how
your word might hurt me,
for the sake of protecting me—
trust in yourself, for you are
love actually. else you may begin to
avoid your imagination,
and your body will ache
under what we call anxiety.
entertaining another's fear means
offering to be a sewage line.
you turn all mixed up
like the branch that becomes a snake
and the wind—i mean, the devil's whisper
that carries you away
from the two-tongued—i mean the roots
that once sung of love.
you will turn on yourself, and wonder
where did i make a mistake?
what happened was
you tried to love me, but alas:
a love blunder!
take it from me, i kept watching
as i accepted your fear and
blamed you and i dragged
my heart under
water gasping and i
remained bystanding and
i’m
still wait
ing for
the word
s that will for
give
me
back my
whole
fear is the lightning
“evil!” said the child
and the father smiled
and held his child like
the warmth of thunder
knowing knowing
thoughts are like leaves
and you child are my tree
and your fears shall fall gently
gently
with the winter’s greeting
lesson of the day, said the doctor
words
mean nothing
without their context
so you know that little word
love? that’s what i call
the one that belongs—
follow it home, and your heart will
forgive you for being open
for loving
for hurting
for trying
and loving
until:
there’s the field
blanketed white
singing songs
a warmth only known
in the teeth clattering cold
and the blinding light
of sledding with
family & friends
on this land
that hugs us close.
