Under a New Mexico Sunrise

I do not wish to be
An also-ran
Or a once-was
Or an afterthought
Of any kind, to anyone
Most particularly you

And yet, as distance allows me to take a step backwards
And breathe deeply, just a little,

I think perhaps if I am
Not already those things
Then I am certainly on the path
To being exactly that

I don’t know how to be
Anything other than I am
How to capture the sparkle in your eye
How to turn the interest in your smile
Or the frission in the pit of your stomach
Into something that always turns my way

I don’t know any other way
To be something worth claiming
Worth talking about to all & sundry
Worth fighting for, worth pursuing,
Worth loving
Than to simply be who I am

Perhaps that is not enough
For you… or for anyone

I am sorely tempted to quietly
Oh, so quietly
Tiptoe away in time

I think you
I have been oh so afraid you
I ache to believe you
Would quietly
Oh, so quietly

Simply let me go.