Love Her Wild: Poems

We let our lives
mix with our dreams
like two colored paints
until we didn’t know
which was what
and we didn’t care.

What of the firefly,

the one I love to chase?

The old man smiled

Love her

he said

but leave her wild,

and the old oak tree I love to climb?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild

the bird that sings that song I love?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild

and the wolf that cries to the old joke moon?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild

and the horse that loves to run with storms?

Love her, he said, but leave her wild.

And what of her,

the one I love most?

And the old man smiled.

Yes, he said,

you must love her too

but love her wild

and she’ll love you.

waiting to stand to the world

masks down

and say loudly and boldly

this is us

this is our truth

this is everything real about me

and when that day comes

if it is true

we will begin our lives again

the way they were intended

when the world first

saw our face.

We all wear masks,

some with makeup

some with smiles

some with wives or husbands

cars or clothes

we hide from the world

and from ourselves

we hide from our truths

behind our eyes

running always from our real

but somewhere there

where truth meets courage

we are waiting to be found

Loneliness

is a fire

I hold close to my skin,

to see how much pain

I can stand

before running

to the water.

I worry there is something broken in our generation,

there are too many sad eyes on happy faces.

BOYS

LEARN TOO LATE

THAT BEING

“THE MAN,”

IS NOT THE SAME THING

AS BEING

A MAN.

She had been through hell

and though no one could see her demons

they could see the face

that conquered them.

They saw in her

a bright star burning,

and basked in the heat of her flame,

but behind the bright

she was smoldering

for breath

in the black of a life

she never asked for.

world is made up of

too many girls

wondering

if they are pretty

and too many boys

too shy to tell them.