So often I
                  have taken from you
                 and given little back
                          yet
                   you have never complained
                   as I pretended to think
               this was simply in your nature.

                        Many times
                 I turned from your tears
                     fooling my self
                  that you were grieving
                  over some girl friend
              and her misfortunes in love
                      not seeing
                    the hurt there
                   came at my hands;            
              ignoring that I kept you
                in my emotional jail
                 you unable to leave
                  and I unable to let you go.

                   I wore your obsession with me
                    like male perfume;
                     my aroma therapy
           
                    But came the day
                     you rolled up your
                     heart-break carpet
                  tucking it neatly away
                    in the hall closet
                    me in two days calling you back
                      from your mother's house
                        because I missed
                  you not being there for me
                   for whenever I needed.
                        You saw this abandoning
                       your healing time                  
                   
                          and came back
                      came back to say your
                           final hello
                     and your final goodbye.

                         "While I loved" you said
                        'and offered the kiss'
                       you merely turned your head
                            all those years
                     and 'offered only the cheek.'

                            Now my face
                         is to the wall
                         unable to sleep
                         all these years
                              and you
                        have the children
                            you sought
                         and I have my own
                              carpet
                                now
                             kneeling
                              at night
                               taking
                         my own time to weep
                    about missed opportunities
                            love lost
                     regrets in my pillow-keep.