The Trouble Is I Love People

I will listen to the words dripping down your chin, but will you do the same to me?

The trouble is I love people.

I love learning the way their voice shifts

from hard laughter to nearly inaudible sighs.

I glean intimate clues 

from every sentence 

word

and syllable 

that trickles down their lips.

I love peering into their mind;

what they think of social conventions

of soulmates

of religion

of humanity as a whole. 

I find myself lost within;

following the outline of their jaw

noting each wrinkle when they smile

catching how they look away when touching on something serious.

I can listen forever to the ramblings of their world.

I take them in as a whole,

in their naked entirety:

the thoughts they exude

the details they embrace

the mannerisms they reveal.

The trouble is I love people.

I want to share

all my thoughts

small sorrows

midnight ramblings

and bursting joy with someone.

I crave being held

and being taken in wholeheartedly.

Ask me what makes me ecstatic,

what tears me apart,

what my childhood was like.

Wonder how my mind functions

and the small habits I've picked up.

But people often talk and rarely listen.

My lips remain silent while with another,

holding tight loose secrets 

as a flood of syllables and sounds

reverberate off their lips.

The trouble is I love people,

but all I seem to be left with is

my unreciprocated awe

and 

their poignant disinterest.

That's the worst,

their poignant disinterest.

Reviews

[Franky]

Omg. I agree ! I met up with a friend yesterday for dinner and he only talked about himself. It was discouraging when I tried to add something and he just changed the subject or asked things that weren't even relevant. Then he'd change to talk about him again. I hate that disinterest. Then I sometimes feel judged too. Wow.

I get it!!

[AquaWater5674]

Annamae...
This poem was PROFOUND...
what astute observations...
Amazing revelations from your precious heart...
What you are talking about here is
Unconditional love...
You are open to it...
You hunger for it...
In the greatest sense of the word..
You touched my heart...
More than you know..
Very Impressive..
I am glad that I read your poem..
You are an inspiration
Very Very Well done...
Debbie

[tanmay7551]

That's so sad! Innocent and straight forward people are taken advantage of so many times. True, they want to share everything, be a good friend but that does not come from the other side and it is a disappointment.

But yes, sometimes you tend to be lucky and meet special people who stay and make impressions in your life forever.

Very well written, reminds me of my years in recent past.