You Are Not A Man

You are not a man
but a promise of one

Translucent
blurred by pain

This thing that is you
I see it
In your words and when you laugh

Can I just hug you?
for a long long time
Can I cry in to your shirt?
Can I tell you the darkness of my heart?

Will you please
pretty please
let me in
because I know
it is there
A lush green garden in the desert of your being
would you please
try for me
So that I know
it is possible
to still feel

When you try to convince me
that I can't touch you
your words come drifting to me
and they tell me a different story
Of a man who is not a man
but a promise of one
A shadow of his own self
An impression of his own thumb

Listen here
you beautiful stranger
we have met for a reason
you are free to take from me what I take from you
A little solace
A moment of magic
A flicker of light

When you leave
I will know you are there
and your memory will be right here
in my heart
you can keep it too
the knowledge of me

mostly
I want to hold your hand
and make you see
the vast ocean you carry
the depth of your eyes
the better man you still are
the better man you will always be

How do I know that?
because I can see
see right in to your soul
the curse that you carry
and the gaping sucking hole
right next to your heart
oh yes sir
I see

Just an after thought
I believe you have come to me
from a life lived before
to promise me
that the next life we ever see
we will know
we will be
I will save you
and you will save me