In a Relationship

She will give way too much,
a rubber band unaware of its elastic limits
stretching farther than she should,
stubborn silence causing tears in her rubber.

He will fear that sacrificial self-gift
so he will give only what he believes is needed
Fully intentional within his limits, refusing to earn
the stretchmarks she seems to wear with pride.

She may feel regret at times, but won’t say it,
preferring to bury that deadly dagger
within because she can handle the blade while
his heart would implode, mortally maligned.

He will be consistently steadfast, might not
always say what he means, but will always
stay the course, a river sometimes overflowing
but always receding back to gentle lapping.

She will like herself just as she is, flaws and all
which she’ll try to get him to appreciate in himself,
but his mirror is distorted, he sees all his flaws
but when she looks at him, her smile blinds them both.

He will want to be better in his own way
which he might project onto her,
an unnecessary burden to carry that she’ll
continue to bear until she’s had enough.

She will let her anger flare at minor conflict
A reaction he will consider overblown
making her boil even more, water streaming
down her sides as she shivers in wet frustration.

He will save his anger for something bigger,
after swallowing it many times
a pit she thinks is bottomless until
all the emotion explodes from within.

But in the end, they retire to bed together
his warmth radiating to soothe her natural cool
their bodies creating a harmony that sings
their shimmering song into the night.

Photo by Allan Dias on Unsplash