For A Lover

This is an oldie but a goodie - a favorite of many friends and others who've read it, including professors, other writers I respect, and the like. I don't really have much to say about it but I really adore it to death and I'm sorry I don't have anything more profound to say about it except that it seems to fit my mood today. Ah, well, sometimes that's all ya got.

For a Lover

How can I claim to be inspired

when I’m always so goddamned tired?

Instead, I’ll just watch the flames climb higher,

wonder, once again, how not to burn

even though I am on fire.

Last night, we drenched ourselves in sweat.

Later, I wondered where they all went –

these goals I’ve never met.

You, I stroked like a faithful pet.

I wished I could have surrendered.

I wished I could have wept.

I took care of drunken you.

It’s something I’ve grown accustomed to,

something I know well how to do.

You couldn’t fill the gaping hole

and I couldn’t play the right role.

Even though we’ve come to know

moods, attitudes, emotions, levels of devotion –

the part I always love the best

is the making of the nest:

burrowing my face in your hairy chest,

being cradled by your toothpick arms.

I am seduced by the least of your charms.

My friend, my friend,

when push comes to shove

and end comes to end,

when one of us is catatonic

and everything seems catastrophic,

the most important things

are always platonic.

copyright 2006 Katherine Andrews


*By the way, yellow roses symbolise friendship, hence the photo I used with this post. However, I didn't want to say that at the beginning of the post, because I didn't want to give away the end of the poem, naturally. Anyway, just clearing that up, in case ya didn't already know.*