Flora

We carve love into the world
as if it's anything other than 
our own responsibility.
Planting expectations in 
the stories we tell of

"How we met"
And
"How we know"
And 
my guilty pleasure
"We're relieved we can stop now."

But for a seedling to take root
to thrive to grow to bloom
it requires:

- 2 parts Context and Timing
- a dash of sunshine
- relentless intention. 

Somewhere along the way
I inherited their fear, 
for choice, the action 
~ to choose ~
care, vulnerability, investment
became burdensome. 
became another monster
peering out from dark, rich earth. 

They whisper, 
"Was the giving tree 
not courageous?
Did she not end
as she was just beginning?"

Her isolation and
her love's confusion and
her intensity and
her love's fear 
when she was gone... 


Why do we pretend
as if love is anything more
than a series of zero sum
comprises, sacrifices.