A Poem About Love

A Poem About Love

the other day
(not this one)
i read a poem that somebody wrote about love.
it didn’t really sound like a poem
it sounded confused
and it probably was, because
love is as confusing as it gets,
except when it’s not, but i’ll get to that.

so here i am writing a poem
(or something)
about love
(or something)
just like a hundred thousand people
(and maybe fish or cats, too) have before me.
we all try to make it sound like something new
and we all believe that it is.
i am inclined to believe, in fact
that my love for you is amazing
unbeatable
conquering

only its track record isn’t so good so far.

no one has loved you the same exact way
that i have, and i will never
love someone the same way again.
i like the way i love you

i am as afraid of it going away
as i am of it staying

i wish i could understand
or i wish i could make you understand
i don’t know what it is i understand
but it’s something. i think love
is like something you realize
and then don’t remember ever not knowing.
do you have a phone number?
i want to tell you things
not anything in particular really
just things, maybe about
girls who eat peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.
what i’m saying isn’t important, just
that i’m saying it to you
and you’re hearing it
somehow though i think you stopped listening
a long time ago

where is my love? i guess
it slipped past your heart and it’s hangin’ out
in your belly somewhere.
i want it back
maybe just a little bit?
if you don’t have any of your own we can share mine.

all i am asking
is that you let me lay close enough to you
that i can feel you move as you fall asleep
all i am asking
is that you make my body feel
like it’s doing something meaningful
’cause it really misses meaning something to someone
all i am asking
is that you
love
me

please.