THE PEOPLE TELL ME

The people tell me
to play games with them
and to put aside the fire of my heart
for you.

The people tell me
that enough nights have passed
since the day that you went away
that the embers
should be safe to leave unattended.

The people tell me
that if I don't spend all of my time
thinking about you,
that the fire
won't consume me.

But the people have it wrong.
If I don't spend all of my time
thinking about you
and keeping this fire at bay
it will consume me
just as my love for you
has consumed me.