Everything is uglier up close
     the city lights, the country dirt, that boy in
     high school that you thought you loved,
     the shades of blue painting the fall sky

But not you

From a distance
     your eyes enchant me
     the curve of your lips so intriguing--
     inviting me in

But up close
     your eyes hypnotize me-
     render useless my sharp tongue
     haunting my loveliest dreams
     while illuminating my darkest nightmares

     your lips reduce my quick wit
     my poets heart
     to nothing but
     'roses are red, violets are blue'-
     stealing my poetry from me
     with the gentle, star-crossed love
     with which the sun steals the stage
     from the moon each dawn
     because I can think of nothing
     but you

You are beautiful up close,
but my racing heart convinces me
you are safer
at a distance