It was hardly the first time I’d seen you
but somehow it was like looking into the sun
a blinding flash, a hint of something new
something beautiful and full of promise
I’d never been so off my guard
wrapped up in the moment
lost in your twinkling eyes
if I stop to think about it I can still taste your lips
still feel our tongues dancing
still hear my nervous laughter
too busy trying to regain my mental balance to just shut up and enjoy the moment
if I’d just been a little weaker or a little dumber who knows where we’d be now
but no, I wanted something different
something more and less at the same time
and somewhere in the middle of this tidal wave
I found my footing, held my ground
it took so much not to be swept away
not to get caught in your undertow
but no, I had to be reasonable, had to be rational
even as the emotions of the moment made me say things I knew better than to reveal
out of something so full of possibility
I found the way to the worst of both worlds
I haven’t seen you since
have barely spoken, despite our insistence on staying in touch
it was just a moment, and moments pass
the right thing done in the wrong way
all I can do is look back on the night and wonder
I so often think that things might be different if I’d only said the right thing
that it’s almost funny and rather sad to know
that everything might’ve been better here
if I’d only kept my mouth shut
The inspiration for this one’s subject matter is semi-obvious, going back to the subject of pretty much every other poem I’ve written in here over the past couple months now. The style, though, is a little different than usual thanks to a recent obsession with slam poetry. I went out of my way to sound this one out in my head as I wrote it, and as a result I know EXACTLY how I’d read it if it were to be performed. And if I ever have the guts, I might just record myself doing so for the hell of it…