Can you hold all of it inside
When the pressure mounts?  Can you hide
The disappointment in your eyes
Behind veneer of boasts and lies?
Can you pay all the world its dues
When you are broke?  Can you see blues
Through bloodshot eyes now long cried dry
Of humors?  Can you stand tall by
Sheer volition when your legs are
Not able?  Can you see that far
Into the future as to know
Which roads to choose?  And can you go
Back again when you have burned down
The bridges you have crossed?  The frown
Of your displeasure still weighs hard
Upon my fragile breast; each card
You hold up your sleeve a bullet
Waiting to be shot.  Through the net
Of your decision I fall, not
Slowed in the least, not held, not caught,
Not trapped within that web you built
Expressly for that goal.  You wilt
As flowers in oppressing heat,
Not made to undergo and beat
Such challenges.  The light of your
Determination has no core
Of fuel left to ignite.  You tried
To force your will where I reside,
Allowing none to bar the road
You set for yourself.  But the mode
Of your transit was not the right
One for the journey, and no might
Of harsh sounding words or cold steel
Could overcome such setbacks.  Kneel
Down for but a day in the muck
You intended for me, and tuck
The biting tongue of pride back in
Your mouth so it won't speak, and then
You'll find that escape is the one
Thought you'll have.  With you I am done;
I am not your slave; I am not
Your object.  I cannot be bought
And sold on open markets, for
I am not goods nor service, nor
Am I yours alone.  I belong
To only myself and the throng
Of those who have the need of me
To hold them up and help them see
What goodness lies beyond.  I do
My own bidding, and this not to
Be confused with duty.  I use
Nothing but my two hands to choose
My path of righteousness.  Do not
Deter me.  Love me, if you dare, hot-
Blooded words and deeds streaming from
You in a flowing tide.  But come
Not to expect I will be yours
Nor that I will not change; the oars
Of my vessel already are
Set to take me to a place far
From this one on a whim.  Love me
If  you wish, but you should not be
So much in that state.  This that you
Call love is not for me, I do
Not hold in my being all of
The faculties to use your love
The way you see it fit.  So you
Can go ahead and always do
What you like, but I advise that
Loving me not be that thing.  At
The price of sanity, what good
Is it to love not who you should?