People
She asks if I’ll write a poem for her,
But I tell her that I don’t know quite yet
Just what effect she’ll have on me, so no.
“What effect I’ll have on you?” she questions,
Her mouth questioning, and her eyes searching,
“Why does that matter? It’s just a poem.”
“Well some people are like the air to me -
I can’t help having them everywhere near,
And if they were gone, I wouldn’t last long,
“While some people are more like coke or speed -
They make my heart race, and my teeth clench tight,
While I can’t survive around them too long,
“And some people are like the water beneath -
They’re refreshing and give life to my day,
But if I don’t watch myself, down I’ll go,
“While some people are like pure arsenic -
I don’t know why they’re around or why but
There’s always something seductive to them.
“But you - you’re different than them all so far -
You’re something I’ve never had before now,
So I don’t want to overdose just yet.”
And she, “But what if I’m just vitamins -
Here to make you feel good and healthy
And have a little fun while you’re around?”
And I, “And what if I’m just lithium -
Here to make you feel stable and safe
And let you have the life that you deserve.”
“I could survive without you,” she tells me.
“And I could survive without you,” I her,
“But if we can work together, then why try?”
