Unsplintered

Eventually, you’ll know that I wrote this for you – though I’m publishing it because I’m not the only one in the world who needs, who deserves, who craves to be inspired by, reminded of, enlightened by an example such as you.

I just asked you the hardest questions ever about our budding relationship. I stated the hardest truths – unique to us, but not unique; and they may very well be the hardest truths we ever face.

It’s the second time today we’ve struggled through strong, heavy, deep emotions. Trudging through tidal waves in old rivers that promise to pull us under if we lose hold of each other, if we fail to keep aware, I led us this morning and again this evening.

It would be easier, of course, to slip into something comfortable and let the tide carry us away, swept on the surface of our emotions without ever diving beneath the rippling waves.

I’m not like that, though.

I don’t trust the way others live their romances, ignoring life and living, believing only what’s above the surface, pretending nothing exists beneath; then lying about where they’ve been when they delve into depths with other friends or lovers – or by themselves.

I’ve tried to lead men in this way before.

Countless times (very literally), I’ve been accused harshly for speaking the truth. Countless times, I’ve been hammered down for fearing, for feeling, for expressing my anxieties, my heartfelt wishes, my anguish-strained memories.

I was alone when you found me, this time, for a reason:

It never worked, before. I’ve countlessly been abandoned. I’ve endlessly been blamed, misunderstood, rejected.

It’s a lot, I know. Where once I was silent, afraid to speak a word about the rippling of my heart, reigned in the tidal waves of fears and tears and love and dreams because I was used to being beaten, I speak it all, given liberty to do so. I ask, still, rather than presuming. It speaks highly of… everything.

Not that any of that matters, now.

What matters is that you looked at your life, at our love, at the difficulties that lay ahead of us and, rather than hiding anymore, rather than accepting what is untenable, rather than asking that I accept something equally or more untenable, you took the lead.

You don’t know how proud I am of you for this, for what you did for me. For us. For you.

And you let me give this to you.

This, also, speaks highly of everything.

I know it’s not easy to face your truths. I know it’s not easy to change one’s life, to walk out into the unknown.

But you did it. You took that first step.

I’m so proud of you. As hard as it is, as deep as this hurts, I’m so proud of you for accepting responsibility for your life. For not evading anymore. For accepting yourself.

You’re not splintered anymore.

Splintered by Aisha Badru

They never taught us how to love
So we use our pain
To comfort us
And we never practice what we preach
Instead, we find
Someone else to teach

We try not to see with our eyes
We fill our plates
With dozens of lies
We try so hard to keep it in
We turn away
From what lies within

We are splintered
And we are rotten
Deep within the walls that we've forgotten
All the answers
To all our problems
Lie within the one who tries to dodge them

Ooooh, ooooh
Ooooh, ooooh

We're so afraid to be alone
So we hoard our pain
And call it home
They never taught us how to look inside
Only how to run and how to dry our eyes

We dig ourselves into a ditch
How many of us die
And pretend to live?
We stop the life from leakin' in
When we turn away
From what lies within

We are splintered
And we are rotten
Deep within the walls that we've forgotten
All the answers
To all our problems
Lie within the one who tries to dodge them

We are splintered
And we are rotten
Deep under the floorboards we've forgotten
But all the answers
To all our problems
Lie within the one who tries to dodge them

Ooooh, ooooh
Ooooh, ooooh

Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Aisha Badru

P.S. I Love You, Still

I fell into your world, my love;
And here, I shall remain, in heart,

Even if I am away,
Even if I must away,
Even if I am to be in a Wonderland of my own making…

I fell here, first, my love;
And here, I shall remain, in part,

As I have for years,
As I have for weeks,
As I shall, again, until I find the mirror-gate to you…

There is a Hatter who makes tea for two,

Who protects his M with kindness,
Who tempts Alice with long-coated horses,
Whose silver steed drives like the wildest things.

There is a girl whose land is elsewhere,
Yet finds life in Wonderland rings

With yet too-familiar courses
Of behavior with him all-too true…
And yet, we pine in distance;

And yet, you are right here;
By some grace of our natures’ providence
We touch what we hold so dear…

And you are in my heart, my love;
And here, you’ll always stay,

No matter time may come or go;
No matter how many worlds away…

For we have already broken rules
Upon us set by else-worlds’ minds,
Still: As precious as Majesty’s jewels,
Each other’s hearts, we find.

Stay with me. Love me. Be with me.
We shall never fear nor be torn apart;
For we are as Titans, as magical as gods
With all we’ve ever seen.

Photo ©2016 MLM

As You Are

I am not for you.

You’ve said it:

You are not looking for beauty.

You regret asking me for my strength;

You regret asking me for all I am,

You said you didn’t know I would be

So ruthlessly myself.

Are you so weak;

Did I love you so much

As to be blind to your fragility,

To your hopeful heart

And fallible strength

As to miss the meaning

Of such

An unsustainable request?

Or did your fears catch up with you;

My words,

My heart pouring every day,

Every moment with unadulterated love,

Every breath of mine become for you;

Despite your mind’s monsters

Making a monster out of you?

I still love you as before.

No distance can quell this ocean.

No time can tarnish my heart’s shine.

No amount of verbal brandishing

Can make me believe your costuming,

Can disguise your heart or mine,

Can still the moments,

Still alive,

Of every moment

Your heart

Kisses,

Aches for,

Yearns for

Mine.

You are not for me

And I am not for you;

But we are

Bound

And this love

Rules

And I am for me

As you are for you.

salva-corpus-amanti:

Salva-Corpus-Amanti “Save the Lover’s Body”

This is how I picture the world will end. Earth, Air, Water, Fire.

So beautiful.

When Connections Cease To Fade

Resist me, if you will:

Your fight reveals you,

Betrays your desire,

Demands my attention,

Commands my response.

Be silent, if you must:

Your vibration pulsates stronger,

Reaches farther,

Throbs within me,

Speaks more truth.

Remain away, while you can:

Your heart protects me,

Encourages all you love in me,

Strengthens what is weak in me,

Purifies what is best in me.

Release all of your negativity:

I will remain, in love, through time,

I will remain, in love, through peace,

I will remain, in love, through life,

I will remain, in love, with you.

And there is nothing anyone can do.

I love you

How can I ever not be disappointed
When every car passes, not handled by you?

How can I ever not be disappointed
By any single evening not spent through-and-through?

How can I ever not be disappointed
In any conversation not ending in endless kisses?

How can I ever not be disappointed
In any less than forever in blisses?

How can I want
Any less than you

When you fail to disappoint me
In times hardest or best, as you do?

If the sky never disappoints
In its every shade of white, grey, black or blue;

Each raindrop falls as beautifully, necessarily true
Any rainbow’s magic alights the once-stormy sky;

Any sunny day beats rays upon our skin as clouds drift by;
Any winter night decorated with miraculous, falling snow,

How could you ever disappoint me
When you are all I ever want to know?

For then:

A car arrives in the midst of lovely reveries;
And this evening is not mine but belongs only to he;
Our conversation’s reward is a few tender kisses;
Heartfelt embraces end too soon and all my heart, he misses

Still, I am not disappointed
Because of you;
Because I love you
Because of you.

A Kiss

He said to me, looking me in the eyes with so much love… “Kiss me.”  

And I kissed him, wanting to fill him with my passion, to translate it… and he pulled away and looked at me gently, and said: “No.  It doesn’t always have to be world-changing.  Just kiss me.”  

And he kissed me gently, and I kissed him back, and I could FEEL it… and it was good.  

And it changed me.