Parenthetical (Contradictions)

Parenthetical (Contradictions)

By Melinda (Wilder)

to (not) love you was the easiest (non) thing I ever did (not) do

to (never) forget you was the hardest (incomplete) action I ever did (fail) {to} complete

to (always) say what I’m thinking has (rarely) been what I do (not) {do} well

to (hardly) appreciate what you did (not) do was something I (weakly) strove for

to (force) {a} smile is what I am (perhaps) best at doing (all) {wrong}

And I’ll (quietly) weep

And I’ll (loudly) laugh

And I’ll (softly) smile

And I’ll (boldly) love

And I’ll (rarely) forget

to be (too) dramatic is to (drunkenly) write a poem about what is (not) there

(though loving seems like more work than is humanly possible)

I’ll walk (alone)

I’ll talk (fast)

I’ll look (wild)

I’ll move (forward)

I’ll touch (deliberately)

to (hopefully) do more is a (dramatic) stretch of the (unimaginative) imagination

to (truly) see another is making the (small) world (vividly) blind

to (fearfully) brave a (muddy) river (barely) takes courage

to (fail) {to} step where (no) feet have (ever) landed

makes a (dull) life