You have Stayed for Too Long

On the wings of butterflies and angels
You were sent to save me
From myself
From being grounded in concrete shoes
From the complete crushing of my spirit
You lift it
Repeatedly
Even when I beg you not to
Even when I silently scream
For you to leave
For you to let this go
You stay
You hold my hand
You touch my cheek
You place your palm to my back and guide me
You lead the way from behind me
You push me onward
You pull me upward
You show me beauty in myself that I forgot was there
Beauty that is easier to ignore than to embrace
And now here I am
Committed to you
On accident
By happenstance
By crazy circumstance
Tied to you by a thread made of Kevlar
I think maybe it’s indestructible.
Or maybe it’s just that you are.
This kind of strength I have only seen once before
And I thought I would never see it again
But your eyes pull me in
And hold me
There
And I am under your spell of strength
Security and safety
A child wrapped in her Father’s arms
Next to you I am invincible
And protected
And yours
And I find myself needing forever
Like I need water, like bread
A necessity and a dream
Combine and make fantasy out of reality
And I’m pinching myself
Through the day
I’m doubting the day through my cynicism
I want you to go
Before I believe that you’ll stay
Before I don’t know what to do without you
Before the ground I am standing on is the base you provide
Before I forget how to stand on my own
Before you become a part of me as important as my right arm
As central as poetry
As vital as air
I’m pretty sure you have already stayed too long.