Do Not Tell Me
Do not tell me that you love me my beloved for
I remember well the agony of the mornings
When I would rather not have wakened when
Four a.m. meant two three hours preciously
Alone but knowing that it wouldn't last those singular
Hours propping up God in the corner with my prayers
I could have lit the candle with my white-hot anger
But I left it alone
Do not tell me that you love me my beloved for
those days of engagement were few and
The words were sweet nothings on my napkin when
We sat entranced with each other's faces over dinner
And all those other times from March to August
When you served me all I hungered for but mainly
Those words of love I heard like the
Believer's prayer offered up to Jesus
Come my Savior save me
Do not tell me that you love me my beloved for
Ever after I remember everything you took when you
Left when I was not even there and you stole my soul
Away leaving me to ache out my days to eke out my days
On such a simple diet of daily bread and water why
Does God let starve this way those who have everything
Those who lose everything and have to start over
Do not tell me that you love me my beloved for
I know you are a liar oh you grow incensed to
Hear it but that's because you know it's true how
Could you have tempted me into your corner over dinner
And even placed the ring upon my finger and lifted the
Veil to deliver the kiss oh Judas yes I
Should have recognized the kiss but I didn't and now
You want to be forgiven
What can I say perhaps God will forgive you beloved
But I will leave you finally
Carolyn
