people keep telling me
love is war
but i’m sick of getting hurt
and losing people i love
and no one will tell me
how to bring peace.

people keep telling me
love is fire
but i keep getting burned
and no one will tell me
how to put out the flames

people keep telling me
love is a flower
but when i picked up the flower
with cupped hands
to enjoy its beauty
it withered and died
until i was holding just a shell
of what had once been
the most beautiful thing
i had ever seen.

people tell me love is a game
so i read the instructions
but i still don’t know
how to win