Tiger

 

“Just get through your final year

we had our fun now let’s move on.”

I drill myself like boot camp

1-2 1-2 say it with me!

I’ve thrown my heart into the wind

The southern current blew it back

At least I’ve learned it’s mine to give

Not something they can steal from me

 

Then on my dreary afternoon

of force fed filtered knowledge 

I spotted an enigma

A tiny palmtop tiger

(She would almost fit in the palm of your hand!)

I saw the fire in her eyes

piercing me like sharpened daggers

There is something different with this girl

I could not wrap my head around it

 

I go to pet the tiny tiger

SNAP!

She almost bit me but held back

Like an injured dog backed in a corner

In desperate need of help

but unwilling to accept

It looked like she’d been hurt before

Why didn’t she bite me?

She playfully growled and hissed and spat

but I’ve never felt so safe

The closer I got the more she purred  

 

My interest peaked beyond all reason

I joined the hunt to find out more

Carefully stalking my prey

With every sighting of the tiger

I learned its hopes and dreams and fears

Something just kept drawing me closer

 

In a shocking twist of events

I learned even more about myself

as we spun our tales and shared our humor

I thought I found a winning prize

but quickly learned I found a friend

To share my own hopes and dreams and fears

Things I thought were my concern and mine alone

 

Her hearts been broken into pieces

By hunters seeking perfect game

Little do they realize

She is not a prize to tame

Nor would she break to any will

I’ve begun a search for all the pieces

(My hunting days may be behind me)

but selfishly saved one for myself

So small she won’t even know it’s missing

So I can stitch the rest together

 

No matter where the tiger goes I’ll have a small memento

Something to remind me of my friend

Whose heart was smashed but still burned bright

Others would have broken down

but her happiness is hers alone

Not rooted in another

 

Now I spring from bed to charge the day

to cherish every moment

Who knows how many more we’ll have

I secretly hope it never ends

I worry that she might catch on

But no matter what the future holds

I’ll never forget that sassy palmtop tiger

 

 

M.H. Bones

Author's Note

Valentines poem for my love