Did you know how your eager mouth
dispelled my fears,
and created a thousand new ones
with each exploring kiss?

Did you know how often I reached
for sprouting roses,
only to have them turn into
wilting thistle weeds at my touch?

For the flowers you gave
were poisoned needles-
the venom pours into me;
I want to recoil from it
but stand transfixed:
why won’t you release me?