The dog chewed
my Great Expectations,

of all the things to leave on the floor.

Not to say it's out of character

for me or the dog.

It's no surprise
that it happened.
Yet, I'm still left wondering:
What did I expect?

I have a dream.
Not a noble, revolutionary one that will change the discourse of humanity,
but one which would most definitely change my own life,
and possibly yours.
We are driving in your car, which in my imagination is a dark blue skoda octavia, but frankly it doesn't matter,
'cause I'm smiling looking out the window and fighting with you over the radio channel choice.
The smell from the basket of muffins I baked secured on the back seat is wafting through the air,
and I'm playfully slapping away your wondering right hand up my left thigh which the little white summer dress I'm wearing can in no way cover,
only to reach out and ruffle your hair and the back of your neck 'cause I truly can never get enough of you.
You are smiling too, 'cause you know, you always do.
100 miles later as we pull in front of your childhood home I'm excited and nervous at the same time,
so you do have to coax me out of the car and we walk hand in hand to the door and just as you reach out to ring the bell,
I hide behind you trying to pull myself together and touch up on my smile,
but as the door opens I'm back by your side smiling 'cause your grip on my hand is more assuring than anything I've felt before.
I'm shy at first but your mom is lovely,
though it must be hard to see her little boy next to another woman,
God knows I could never share you.
The twinkle in your dad's eyes may as well be a reflection of yours,
his handshake is strong, warm and reassuring.
Your little brother, whose already growing on me, is making eyes at you and you're warning him, almost threatening him to behave, silently of course, it's all in the eyes.
I take in the house,
the corridors through which you ran, fell and got up again,
the walls which echo your laughter, pain, sorrow, fears, achievements and failures,
and stood strong throughout every step of your life's journey in becoming the man you are,
it's like a story, a novel or a theatrical extravaganza unfolding in front of my eyes.
I follow your mom to the kitchen, not because I want to be the perfect domesticated future daughter in law,
but rather because it's where I find comfort.
The stove and oven are hard at work, and I immediately take over peeling potatoes,
as I try to make conversation with your mom in my incredibly limited vocabulary,
and I can tell she appreciates the effort.
When we sit to eat I'm already at home and I just cannot stop smiling,
because it's absolutely perfect.
It's a little too perfect.
After all it's just a dream. My dream. A cliché.
But dreams, hopes and expectations apart I just wish I knew,
if we were more than ***.
If I knew I'd at least have the truth,
because we both know dreams, particularly the perfect ones,
almost never come true.

Down the rabbit hole,
and off the beaten path,
I met you smiling,
arms open, ready to laugh

I couldn't get enough of that infectious grin;
My eyes greedily lingered on you
as if a look gave me everything.

I had great expectations for my new found friend; you untangled some knots to make my heart beat right again. I envisioned us together, just two people, having fun. But I guess things that are as sweet as honey and rich as vanilla must come to an end.

I got unfairly close.
a mistake on my front.
I couldn't help myself from getting near
such a warm, cozy light.
I'm like a moth on a zapper... I should have know what was right.
You illuminated my world,
Like a candle in a dark room.
I was too fixed on the flame to notice the mess being made,
wax dripping to the table,
slowly making the candle smaller and smaller.

It ended with earl gray.
A hot cup of tea.
Too bad I had to nock it
all over me.