ordinary joe
wants to meet –
ordinary jo
let them thaw
from the snow

you went
from showering praise
to digging the earth
for my grave

it is a game
i know,
i see,
an ego boost
for a fragile reality

you open me up
like the book i am
your tear out my pages
and forget my hands

i could fall in love with you
just becomes a thorny maze
and, ‘you are a keeper’
becomes another rusty knife
one that plunges much deeper

of course i am defensive
i fought for this piece of land
i fought to be me
i fought to be who i am

find me,
in hot air balloons
strumming the sky
kissing clouds
and look me in the eye

although it is october –
feels like time for a spring clean
i will tidy up –
and put away toys
that i once played with