A letter to Desdemona
Desdemona, how did you do it? / My own Othello went insane / because he thought /I wasn't faithful. / An untrue thought led / to violence, / to constant put downs, / to threats. // I knew not / why he’d hurt me. / I’d blame myself / for his actions. But then, / I decided / that I will not beat myself up / because he blames me / for his own character flaws. // My own sweet Othello, / turned rotten from a lie. / Like you, Desdemona, / I don't know who pillaged my relationship. / But unlike you, / I left. // And because of him, / I learned / what love looks like, / and also / what it doesn't. // Love is patient, / even if you're running late. / Love makes compromises, / even if you are not entirely satisfied. / Love is letting go of the small things, / even if they drive you crazy. / Love is communication, / even if it hurts to speak. // Love is knowing when to talk, / rather than being left in the dark. / Love is constructive, / rather than giving hurtful criticism. // The words / I never told him: / "I love you, / but I must also leave you." / “I left you / because you were killing me.” // But even so, to my Othello: / thank you. / For in losing you, // I found myself.