Poem for a Poem Poem for a Poem I loved you. I loved you from the start, the way you crawled out of my heart and lay bloody and shivering, an ugly thing before I warmed you with my breath, singing a low song, warming you with words, bringing life from death and love at the door... I loved you as I strangled you sold you as a slave in time to every new conquistador, a well-dressed servant to my thoughts but you would not, you could not. You waved your arms madly, trying to make a sign. I loved you, pulling words from the fire screaming words I never meant to say, throwing them in my face, breaking all my rules, calling me a liar. I loved you weary after work, masked by blood and sweat, adobe roads to nowhere and walls of mud and straw, and yet no rock for my church, but mission after mission, conquests of my new religion. I loved you each afternoon siesta under the black oaks, loved you at rest in the waves in the oats. I loved you in the nights of a milky way of words, poured from my soul in spice and sparkle, shimmer and shine. I made you up with words, but you were never mine. ~XineAnn