I can never promise
          
             to never hurt you

but I can vow

             to never leave you

and live my life in such a way
        
              that you will hurt

to not stay

/Seven start the running
at the shot of a gun
one faulted behind
six continue to run
six kept the running
till another starts to stall
tripping over shoelace
two clambered to a fall
four kept the running
four running strong
come the first hurdle
three running on
three kept the running
till a cramp came along
two kept the running
two going strong
just one look behind
cost one the finish line
one kept the running
past the cheer and cries
one kept the running
only one won the prize

Will our love be strong
and stronger still
and never know till we love
and love till we do
will our hate destroy
and destroy the will
no doubt it may
and may indeed ****
so love me now
and hold me forever
and never leave me
You and me and ever.

There are those who fight for love
with weapons as weak as wood
these are they who avoid the fire
and would hide if they could
there’s lovers, whose shields are hung
and are dented with dints
defeated by a waging war
that they had no faith in

The war for love is never won
though dressed in iron, steal or tin
when you have no hope in love
neither should you win
The strong have given it their life
in armour as soft as cloth
with a heart that gave all it had
they fought hard and never lost

the person in the mirror is an old, old friend of mine
you would think that she would be my enemy
judging on my history
but time has a way of redefining judgement
experience has a way of re-evaluating importance
grace has a way of breaking down pride

the person in the mirror is constantly evolving
sometimes so much so that she does not align with me
she will be my neighbor
she will be my mother
she will be a perfect stranger
she will be everything else in between

the person in the mirror sees the finish line
before i have tied my laces
before i have found the beginning
she will coach me in a way
that no other can perceive
before i even know it
we will both be in a place no one can see

the person in the mirror is an old, old friend of mine
she used to be my critic
she used to be my opponent
but love has a way of healing the deepest childhood wounds
peace has a way of emerging after endurance