Valentine's Day Collection [Closed]

Magnolia (II) (NotInOurStars)

Magnolia (II)

Mother and Father were always at war,

And I - as a child - did not understand

What they were fighting for.

This unfolded day after day,

Snowballing into years of wasted time...

I still don't know why Mother chose to stay.

They argued until they threatened divorce,

Throwing bitter words that hit below the belt,

Never bothering to feign any remorse.

This was the only marriage, the only 'love'

That I had ever seen;

A thorn in my side that no child was deserving of.

Still, was it any wonder that I vehemently denied

That I should ever want to be in love?

The only 'love' I'd seen had left me terrified.

I didn't want to become my mother,

Holding my tongue for all of my life until I snapped

One time after yet another...

Nor did I want to become my father,

In a situation where my identity and ambition

Have been forced to ebb away - rather,

I had decided that I would have to go it alone,

Until you, my darling,

Introduced me to a bliss as yet unknown.

You treated me kindly, your soft hands so tender,

Clinging to mine no matter what came.

Wherever you are now, I shall always remember

That you taught me not to be afraid:

Of love, light, the past, even the echoes of my parents'

voices which ought to have long since decayed...

You were my first love, my saving grace,

And - although we have parted ways -

You've had a permanent effect on my headspace.

I have your number, you have mine,

But there is a different kind of love between us now

As our lives simply did not align.

You are a dear friend to me,

And I love nothing more than seeing you live your dream.

Sometimes I get the train and make the journey to see

You upon the stage, and - now, once more - your gaze

Lingers on me as often as it can.

After the show, we sit at the bar and liaise,

And I, for the sake of nostalgia, present you with

A bouquet of roses, and you smile, even though

It is not much in return for teaching me to love...

Magnolia, thank you for teaching me to love.