My Knowing Love

Stretch your spine tight as a string,
Keep your head held high,
Fold your hands and curl your nails,
Paint them a smile as they walk by,
Close your eyes and count to ten,
Should the fire within you stir,
Speak only when you're spoken to,
But only listen as you confer,
Be merry, laugh, dance and sing!
But should you need to frown,
Remember sadness is a fatal illness,
Do not call for help if you drown,
I will only nod my head to you,
I will only give you the weather,
I will only smile when you tell me things,
Keeping conversation light as a feather,
Stringing up love like fragile lights,
See how I care for you so?
But only look, no dear- Don't touch!
This is not how my love truly grows,
Pay no mind to any screams you hear,
Do not worry over the whines or sobs,
It's nothing, darling- Just the wind on the trees!
Fret not as my heart aches and throbs,
Catch not how I grind my teeth,
Or how my pale hands tremble and shake,
My spine is still straight, my smile smooth,
See how I never make a mistake,
Look into my eyes when we talk,
But do not see how they water,
When we embrace, it means nothing,
But the lightest of touches,
Do not notice how my anger grows hotter,
Oh, you noticed these things,
As we flit in the scene,
As I posed like a good little lady,
You brushed my chapped smile,
Rubbed my back as it ached,
Then remarked that my eyes had gone shady,
From the room with the crowd that I could not love,
You took me away in your arms,
You stole me away to the forest,
And I marveled how you remained unharmed,
From those stiff dioramas of social decay,
To the silent guards called oak, maple, ash,
You offer them my shivering frame,
I collapsed with a sob as the winds lent them voice,
As they each called us by our names,
I awoke with my hands balled into strong fists,
Caked with dirt and grass,
Fingernails dark and slick with earth
No longer as delicate as glass,
I lifted my head to the great canopies,
Glittering in the blackest night,
I ran to you with sure-footed stride,
With proud smile, you held me tight,
"You are a lady of these silent courts,"
You spoke as you played with my hair,
"You are graceful, you are perfect,
You are always strong-With never a need to despair.
You love as deep as roots dig low,
You love as high as stars do shine,
You love as strong as breathe does thrive,
Your love is preserved, for your love is mine"
Curl your toes into the dirt and run,
Howl as loud as your voice can carry,
Dance as you please, with wild abandon,
With your swift limbs conjure merry,
Procure happy thoughts, let loose your sorrow,
Let the woods drink your heart's fevered nectar,
Be beast, be lady, be twinkling spectre,
Love as deep as roots,
Love as high as stars do shine,
Love as strong as breathe does thrive,
Love as my love makes me mine,
Head held high and feet speed fierce,
Singing with courts of wood and stone,
A lady I am, A lady I'll be,
My knowing love makes a lady of me.