YOU

     

Photograph by Robert Mapplethorpe

                                  
Why does love
hurt so
much?

Parting, parting
is such sweet
torture.

Tongue-tied and
in sterling
silver

chains
I do a wobbly
waltz

and play with
the best of
Shakespeare

for only you:
my love,
my mirror,

my special
friend
from

Romeo and Juliet's
high balcony as
photographed

by Mapplethorpe in
stark, disturbing
black and white.

Sir, will you come again?

Poem © 2016 by Dylan Mitchell