When I was a girl
I thought love was
a guitar player
with
shaggy brown hair
colored eyes
a poet
a Christian
with perfect teeth.
I thought love
was
someone who would put up
with my craziness
and my insecurities.

I didn't know that
love
was ***** blonde hair
and
green eyes
with teeth that
weren't quite perfect
but would shape the words
"shut up"
every time I plucked an insecurity like a harp string.
I didn't know that love
hated reading
but would watch me while
my eyes caressed the words he could barely read
I didn't know that love
would be dyslexic.
But love
pretends to understand the words anyways.

I thought love
would stand the test of time.
I thought that when love
picked up a uniform and an M-16,
boarded a plane
it would grow stronger.

That was 2 years ago
this past May
and my place in your heart
has been replaced by a patch that reads
U.S. Army
Airborne
Ranger

Sometimes love
turns out to be
a soldier.