the apple falls far from the tree

Because I love you---

When I am angry, I will not scream

Or build a wall between you and the world ( if you so much as see another person in a century it will be an act of god )

I will not

1. get in your face until you back down

2. leave your arm reddened and tender

3. leave the imprint of my angry eyes in your vision, like a backlight to your nightmares

Because I love you--

I want to practice the words first

(His hand on my throat is imprinted into me, and when i dream, i dream i strangled myself and woke up screaming)

I want to think of you

(i always think of you, but sometimes it's bitterly flavored with the potency of fear of what if what if what if)

I want to think of you, of what went wrong

Because I love you--

My words are gentle

My hands are not

1. weapons of mass intimidation

2. expression of rage (i will not make marks for you to cover )

3. A way to keep you here (you are mine, you are mine)

You are not mine to control

You are not mine to own

Because I love you--

There is no obligation or duty in love

There is no obligation or duty in love

There is no obligation or duty in love

There is no obligation or duty in love

Because I love you

I will seek to build a threshold

Less about fear and favors and ownership

And more about love

More about love

Because I love you