Canonized

When the wise men preach noble words

Calmness, balance, and restraint,

They seem like such fine ideas!

Impressive, if slightly quaint.

And now I’m forced to follow those codes

To hold back and limit the self–

I tell you, if this continues

I’ll be a blasted saint myself!

I’m tired of weighing each word

On the thin edge of a knife

I’m tired of measuring out

In proverbial coffee spoons my life.

I’m afraid of letting myself go

I’m afraid of scaring you away

And like a careful diplomat

I double check each word I say.

I want to shout, I want to laugh

I want to be wild, I want to be free

To tell you over and over again

How much you’ve come to mean to me!

But I know it’s the one sure way

To lose our link at once

So I squeeze my words right back

Practise some more restrained balance.

I don’t know how the saints get wise

What they do or where they go

But when I go to bed this night

I’m going to check for my halo!

~5 April 2010