I don’t believe I’ve ever been seduced
except by someone’s near obsessive need –
when friendship grew beyond its bounds, and loosed
the desperation of an orphan’s greed.
When happiness for him relied on me
consenting to be lover, mate or wife,
I never could resist the heated plea
and, complimented, tried to share my life.

A wild horse that won’t permit the weight
of any other rider – there’s a theme
compelling. I say yes but suffocate
within embrace too tight, beneath extreme
togetherness where nothing good can grow
and neither horse nor rider wants to go.