pain

In a loving relationship, there is often pain and hurt feelings. We have certain expectations of our partners, and when they fail to meet those expectations, we are likely to feel betrayed. The truth is that if we put our hurt aside for a moment, we may discover that our lover was unaware of our expectations for them. These expectations are most likely the result of fantasies we have in our hearts about how a perfect lover behaves. It is acceptable to have these expectations. However, if we expect our partner to fulfil them for us, we must at least inform them of our preferences. Here’s a poem I wrote about pain and paper planes.

pain

i paint every shade
of my pain on crimson
paper & call it love

i fold it into a
paper plane &
throw it to the wind

then sit & stare
& sigh & still stare
as i watch it f a d e

– if love can fade, then so can [my] pain