Prisoner

loving someone

who doesn’t love you back

with equal commitment

whose vision of their life

does not feature you 

the way they are the feature of yours

is a special kind of prison

a prison 

you don’t want to escape

a prison

you are convinced 

is a sacred sanctuary

the love there is real

but you don’t see

the ways in which

it doesn’t measure up

you are convinced of your contentment

the disparity fuels the chase

just a little longer

just a little more

surely this is forever

the day will come

after i’ve freed you

that you meet another

whose vision matches yours

whose love burns as bright

as deep

as similar

that you will Both thank me

for breaking you out of prison

against your will

until that day

i humbly accept

the role of your villain

hate me

slander me

blame me

eventually—forgive me

we are all on our individual journeys

of learning

with individual lessons

meant only for us

i am but an instrument

in your learning

remember the sweet taste

of the love that kept you prisoner

it is through knowing it

living it

losing it

that you will recognize

the next real love

when it comes around