huck

SECRET

Once upon a time
she appeared to me as
a better kind of human altogether

born into a spotlight of tomorrow

She taught me how to take
the common raptures
and work them into soil
for a level field of play

and I cant forget
the look she would have in her eyes
when noticing the ground
was spent

Years later
these notions defend
a tattered charm; though worn
like toys
by clumsy young hands, they never
back into shadow

and to say
they are with me always
should not enlighten the world
any more than a reflection
in a stream

Nevertheless, with age comes
imitation of abuse
and I know now we are only equals

peers among a secret society
of the romantically ambiphobic