Tell

Letting go is to invite the unexpected.

Photo by Korney Violin

I’d tell you that my heart is feral
Only unexpected love will find it in the open 
And even if it dashed into the brush
You’d still know it exists

I’d tell you that my love is not bound to appearances 
Not a product summoned out of sheer will
My love has nothing to do with tradition or status
It is born of intuition and earthen instincts  

I’d tell you that part of me is lonesome 
That it makes me wary of my intent 
That the absence of touch
Creates a subtle despair

I’d tell you I’ve come to accept my skull’s contents
That the folds are painted with strokes
Black and blue that will never fade
Truth that I need not evade

I’d tell you that I’m not always my own best company
That my insides have known brutal war
But now there is a fragile peace
That sometimes flakes at the edges

I’d tell you sadness lurks behind my smile
That laughter is the cure
The humor in the shadows is me 
Playing in the dark

I'd tell you that integrity is my sword and shield
That truth and compassion are my pole stars
Even if in face of disadvantage or danger
My moral clarity honed by pain's humility 

I’d tell you due to the cruel lies of our age
That I’ve chosen to be lost
That I’ve wandered off the paved road 
Beyond the manicured and into the wild

I’d tell you I don’t know if that was a good idea
That I’m not sure I can navigate
Like Monarchs 
Or Starlings

I’d tell you I feel vulnerable
That my heart beats outside my chest 
As a precious son 
And words on a page

I’d tell you that defending principals
And enacting dreams are frightening acts

I’d tell you I’m glad you breathe
My shoulders lighter when you speak

If we met today
If our eyes met with the same intensity 
If our smiles were as eager
I would say, “hello”

Bonus: For the Love of Lyrics

So tell me where to put my love
Do I wait for time to do what it does?