Devices and Desires
You have told me,
God knows how often, you have told me,
How much you cannot stand...
My beard around the basin;
My guitars around the living room;
My clothes around the bedroom.
And I have heard
God knows how often, I have heard
How much you don’t want
Me around anymore.
I don’t tell you
God knows how often, I don’t tell you
How much I don’t mind
The way you slurp your tea in the morning;
The dross of life you perpetually dump on me;
The mumbles you offer me as conversation.
And I have tried
God knows how often, I have tried
To show you
These foolish things don’t matter.
We don’t talk
God knows how often, we don’t talk
About love anymore.
How I love all the little things about you.
How you’d love me,
If it weren’t for all the little things about me.
This has happened,
God knows how often, this has happened,
To people falling out
Of love before.
They don’t see,
God knows how often, they don’t see,
How all the things she thinks she wouldn’t miss
If he were gone
Would be what she would miss
If he were gone.
Her love is eroded,
God knows how often, her love is eroded,
By all the pettifogging little faults
He has.
She never saw as problems, until now;
God knows how often, she never saw as problems, until now;
The symptoms of an overwhelming imperfection,
That cannot be forgiven.
The symptoms of an underlying condition,
That separates him from her.
He remains in love,
God knows how often, he remains in love,
Breaking off the brittlenesses;
Forgetting irritations.
His love is blind,
God knows how often, his love is blind,
Looking the other way
From minor wounds.
He treasures the little of herself
She has left him.
His love survives,
God knows how often, his love survives,
Wanting only to be with her.
And she, only wanting better.
Satisfaction,
God knows how often, satisfaction,
Always numbs him.
Always eludes her.