Swan Song

Swan Song

It's a very old story.
Seems to happen
when someone confuses
wanting to be loved
with being in love.

You wanted me to love you.
I obliged.
Then, joyously
you set about
building for me
a lovely cage,
polishing the image
you would to see
of me,
encouraging always
my approach
of your ideals.

But you never loved me as I am.
nor saw me as I was.
You kept your vision focused
instead
on how you wanted me
to be.

I have slept
a very long while,
but my dreams
will not lay down,
and I've wakened,
strangely wearied.
I long to be seen and loved
as I am
and I want you
to be well and happy--
because I still love you
just the way you are
even
as
I leave you.

Copyright Cailin J Callaghan 1996 Revised, 2023
All rights reserved
~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Posted: Nov 19

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Comments (3)

Mizzy4
It seems that you fell in love with a Narcissist Cailin. Good poem although very melancholic.

Mick.
hug
Abby1963
Well written I’ve been in your shoes for a long long time . I had to be taught that he was Narcissistic not to try to change him because he hast to try to change himself and then I learned to leave him and that was probably one of the best things that happened to me relation wise:, teddybear:
daradloff
Those people who accept you as you are are indeed rare, we need much more of them, that's for sure. Reminds me of Billy Joel's Just The Way You Are, "Don't go changing to try to please me, you never let me down before..."dancing dancingsanta
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