A Love Poem About Love

I only ever wanted to love you.

To hold you like an overgrown infant

In my swaddling arms.

To squeeze you till your eyebrows bellowed,

To amaze, electrocute and tantalize with kisses

The shallow canyon at the back of your neck…

To cut your long hair into a bob with a karate chop…

To graffiti my name in micro flora across your backside,

To sob the sadness of childhood -

(The betrayals, the put downs,

The spell when I had the mumps,

The day mammy roared at me in the hallway

And bursted my balloon)

- Whilst butting my crown against the curve of your hip.

I only ever wanted

To protect you.

To power-slam drug dealers and muggers

And to clothesline noisy neighbours,

So that you may adore me in peace.

I wanted to show off all my broken bits

And take comfort in the warmth of your acceptance.

Their acceptance…

Which in turn would have created a hopeful environment

Where I might accept myself.

I only wanted to make you pregnant

So I could tell myself

That surely we’d be connected

Forever ever ever ever ever more.

I only wanted you to bolster me.

To gum up the cracks of my self doubt

With the spackle of your admiration.

Oh Máire…Oh Máire…

Why did you leave me?