Coming of Age

The poet speaks of love

as an abstract emotion,

as a pure essence,

as a longing of the heart,

as a grasp toward the ineffable,

as a projection of mystery,

as a hope for better days,

as a journey through life’s labyrinthine maze,

as a path through the murky haze,

as a whisper of something whimsical,

as a passion without boundaries,

as an effort to reach a state of perfect peace.

Yes, a poet speaks of love

in this way

until love is finally found,

and then a poet learns

to speak of love

as fact,

as certainty,

as purpose,

as principle,

as absolute truth

born from eternal salvation.

---

Now

I was not in love

and so I had

no one

to whom

I could write a love song

Now every word that she whispers

sends my heart into a frenzied flutter

Now when I lay my…