Relationship Jan. 06

He says he likes his girls like he likes his handwriting
And she asks if he means unintelligible,
But he states he means thin and angular,
Pointy at every corner, and lacking arcs.
Quick and to the point with no time for elaboration
Sometimes just giving abbreviations for stories
Instead of bubble-letter spirals around the point.
She says he'd be better off alone
Than hope for a girl that's both to the point
And skin and bone.

Anyway, She likes her man to be a scene from a movie,
Always moving, muscles, and like prince charming
Ready to rescue her from slumber with a smile so disarming;
So inviting that she'd have to struggle not to kiss
On the first date.
"In the first place, that man does not exist beyond scripts,"
He whispers, she laughs and says "he does somewhere."
Somewhere, he's preparing to listen as she circles around the climax
Always patient through a never-ending story
Regardless of how boring.
She says he could be like that if only he tried,
And he responds, "Look at me, doll, I'm a guy
I want quickness and immediate satisfaction from everything in life."
She, having had a physical relationship in the past,
turns from his eyes, and laughs, and just says "yeah."
There's something about being male that seems to lack compassion.
He can't respond.

He's sure about this list of characteristics
And he's checking them off, and checking to see if she's on it
And she does the same.
They both ask each other if 5 out of 10 is okay.
He says, "I don't like your taste in music,
and I prefer movies that are more abusive. I like debate,
And when I argue I like to win, but you don't even like to play.
Lady, I think you're pretty, sure,
But I've never been attracted to girls with
the same looks as you before."
And she says, "You think I've looked at guys like you?
Musicians and poets and artists and no-future, just past,
Full of jazz, but not much else, guys like you.
Well, until now, it's not something I ever thought I'd do.
And look at your shoes and hair unkempt. Speakers so loud
I can't hear myself think, and you're careless
You write before you think, you smoke cigarettes. It stinks"

"Yeah, but I've been trying to quit."

He asks if they can just see how it goes,
And she says so long as they bar no holds,
Let the worst of conversation and doubt spill out
Like a bullet passing through a cup of water.
Rapid. Like Niagra Falls.
He asks if they can read together, and she says
only if sometimes they read to each other.
Sometimes from the Bible, sometimes Pablo Naruda
Sometimes slam poetry written by a real brother.
(And, like Derek Z, I mean that like the way black people do.)
He reports back that like life, it ebbs and flows
Builds upon itself, though hardship comes and goes
And she's pretty sure five of ten was okay
Because she thinks she can get a few more by making him change.
He winks and says no way.