"For
Women Who Are Difficult to Love"
Warsan
Shire
You
are a horse running alone
and
he tries to tame you
compares
you to an impossible highway
to
a burning house
says
you are blinding him
that
he could never leave you
forget
you
want
anything but you
you
dizzy him, you are unbearable
every
woman before or after you
is
doused in your name
you
fill his mouth
his
teeth ache with memory of taste
his
body just a long shadow seeking yours
but
you are always too intense
frightening
in the way you want him
unashamed
and sacrificial
he
tells you that no man can live up to the one who
lives
in your head
and
you tried to change didn’t you?
closed
your mouth more
tried
to be softer
prettier
less
volatile, less awake
but
even when sleeping you could feel
him
traveling away from you in his dreams
so
what did you want to do love
split
his head open?
you
can’t make homes out of human beings
someone
should have already told you that
and
if he wants to leave
then
let him leave
you
are terrifying
and
strange and beautiful
something
not everyone knows how to love
