Love on Trial
for D.B.A.

i.
she can cause people to end up
at each others throats

those in love with her
those whom she loves

at her graduation, I was there
invited to attend

there were other boys in her life also
coming together there

they could have clashed
sound of cymbals could have resulted

slaps could have resulted
kicks, punches, fists flying

blows thrown, friction and sparks
here and there flying

generous or foolish
who she'd include
insist upon not leaving out
could end in a ring
boxing it out

in a boxing match
contesting over
what you thought
your very own

over what you thought
you had already won

instead you find
you are but one of many
of a few men she's attached to
and wish to involve
in love, in war

and according to Stevie Wonder
all is fair in love
all in war is cold

ii.
is she able still to appreciate
my looking at her hard

have to look at her hard
pictures to take like camera

our photographer left early
riding with someone, he had to go

so it falls to me to record if I can
as well as a camera could

amount of her breasts she bares
wine-colored dress she wears

shoes-slippers with heels
designed for a ball

are her hoop earrings too heavy
she's removed one

they're great big circles
the color of her shoes
with heels and straps

broad band on her left arm
is lovely as she is this evening
is made of brass

Oh my God, how good
no finger nail extensions
no nail polish, she looks lovely

arms bare,
bra straps escape her dress straps

what size hips, what size underwear

near me now, here with me now
in Cuba, in Colombia, away for a while

all I had were images on paper
her image, printed on paper

4 small pictures
I'd display upon my night stand
to cry over

how near she is to me at present
and how far

her boyfriend's here with us
my eyes go over her to covet her,
covet who is my own untrue love

iii.
oxygen, anesthetic
against the hurt, against the pain
against suffering

having to share her, tear her in half
tear me in half, tears in my heart

in my eyes, on my clothes
boy gone off with girl of mine

I say she is double
meaning divided

she say's she's not
insists that she isn't

what she can live with
I cannot

I brought up one way
she another

I suffer linked to her
in love with her

linked to this pen in my paw as well
pen in my claw

page I climb, I claw my way up
as if up a mountain side

one in an insane asylum
could climb-
might climb walls

iv.
cross-eyed concentrating
cross-eyed in concentration

upon loss, upon hurt
upon having to bear up
under the load of loss

girl of mine
gone off with her boyfriend

what is a best friend left to do
suppose to do

what am I left with
what have I to call my own

to say is mine
what have I but sniffles
but tears to hold back
or to let pour


© Obediah Michael Smith, 2010
Written between 8:05 p.m.
on Thursday July 29 and 12:05 a.m.
Friday, July 30, 2010