Collaboration

 I was thinking about Lennie in Of Mice and Men the other day and how much he likes to hear about the dream. He says,

"But not us, George. Tell how it is with us."

But I don't picture Lennie in my mind's eye. 

I picture myself, my face inches from yours, and my eyes are asking yours, 

"Tell me again how we met 

how much you love me already 

about the collaborations that are 

possible between us. 

Tell me how much you thought 

about me before 

Before we ever met."

Because I've been thinking about you

wanting to meet you all my life

If you can even call what I 

had before you life.

Because I'm more alive now than

I've been in years.

And for years to come, you'll

have me to take care of you

and I'll have you to take care of me.

Lennie may not be a smart man,

but he knows what love is.

-----

But George knows what love is too

and he knows that its better to have

loved and lost than to never have

loved at all.

I lost the love I had for you

Can't find it anywhere

But then again

I'm not really looking anymore

Any more? No, I don't have any more 

to give you. 

I had apples, but I gave them

to you years ago because you said

you needed them to...I can't remember now

I don't think you ever said why.

Then you came back and you needed

more, so I gave you my leaves

My green, my youth

I gave generously and you happily 

took.

Later still you returned after you'd already 

left me twice.

This time you took my trunk,

my middle, which made you think 

that you had my heart too.

But my heart was below ground

in the roots

-----

I wanna make roots with you

"the code is mixed and flesh

joins to bone, like granting a wish."

You wrote that and I fell in love

with your words

They spring from your heart

and speak to mine

and maybe someday we'll watch

our collaborations grow.

And of all the things we give them

We'll be proudest of giving them 

hearts like ours.

I have to laugh because I find

myself speaking in "wes" and "ours" 

and it's effortless.

I feel so light and free

But is it because I've lost so much

already?

-----

It's been two months already and I feel you

picking at my stump.

I wait for rain, pray for it

because it washes filth away.

You made me feel dirty

Your seed stings which makes me 

think its poison.

You have no roots or I've never

seen your heart

It never spoke to mine

the signals crossed and met with

static, bounced back and I 

thought my love was yours

and I was happy for a time

loving myself, thinking it was you

loving me.