Running in circles (a poem written 1992)

I wrote this when at a low point in my life. Probably trying to make sense of the

confusion that women and men experienced in relating to each other.

 

RUNNING IN CIRCLES

Poor communication

That’s all it is really.

Women and men terrified,

Of openness and honesty.

Straightjacketed by

Seemingly necessary games.

The grand illusion being,

If you play the right game,

You won’t get hurt,

Or you’ll avoid hurting.

 

Frightened children in adult guise,

Playing out lessons

Picked up in childhood from the (apparently) wise.

Mother teaches daughter;

“Don’t make it too easy, you’ll give the wrong impression”.

Father teaches son;

“Treat em all rough, they love it really”.

 

Contradictory messages

Create confusion;

“But I thought you were ‘walking’ this way?!”

“Well actually I was ‘running’ in circles”

 

The sad thing is,

We’re all, in the end, harmless.

And we all want the same thing,

To reach into the rich pools of someone’s eyes

And scoop up a handful of their soul.

 

To stand and gaze in awe,

At their precious vulnerability.

And to tenderly caress and cherish,

The frightened new born babe,

They’ve never really left behind.