Love’s Casket

love?

I shuddered when he said the word

I used to know love

back when I knew pain

I tried love then

and love served me well

for a time

until I let love carry me away

then love

right when I felt highest

let me fall

and I broke

love stayed with me

claiming to nurse my wounds

rubbing on ointments

that felt like salt

I pushed love away

and without my feeding love

or encouraging love

love died

I laid love to rest

buried love

in a casket

under the ground

“so you see”

I told him

“I no longer know love

love is dead to me”

“dead to you is different from simply dead”

he said

“perhaps love is only waiting

to be awakened”