How To Love Me

Don’t try to look up the manual.
I can tell you there is no step-by-step procedure.
No magic formula to bring me to my knees.
No concoction of words that can render this poet speechless.
Trust me,
I have heard it all.

I have seen enough to know the difference between love and lust.
I have learned what happens when I choose to ignore my gut,
so do not convince me I am broken just so you can pick up the pieces.
I picked them up a long time ago,
and yes……
I’m still gluing myself along the way.

But this mosaic I’ve become is so much more beautiful than anything I ever was before,
Before the shattering,
before the cracked glass,
before this newfound vitality.

I will never expect flowers.
Instead,
give me something that will not die.
Give me something that will only continue to grow,
to change,
to wilt at times,
but rebirth in spring.

Love me the way I love my words.
Like the way little kids run,
so free,
and so unafraid of looking foolish……

Love me with your ears and realize I’m going to talk far too much.
No seriously…….
I’m going to talk a lot.
Drown me out when it gets to be too much hot,
but never let the water get too cold.

Love me like the ocean,
not deeply or endless or something else vaguely romantic and far too cliché,
Love me like those weird creatures in the dark parts of the water,
the ones that are a little fucked up with crooked teeth,
the loners.

Love me like the spaces in between words that were never said.
Love me in a way you never have to explain.
Like no one has ever caused you to spit out your own name in disgust,
Like you were never worthy,
Like you were the one with a problem.
Love me like you know we are both problems.

Love me like who the fuck gets to decide what a problem is and what’s a solution anyway.
Love me like you told your kinder garden crush you were going to love them.
Love me like it’s really not that complicated in the end.

The way to love a creaturelike me, quite frankly, does not even need to be written down Love me like youhave always known how.