Courtship

Tomorrow, I’ll drop Serenity freely. Instead I’ll court her sister
Discord, who sweeps all before her. Offering her
my life in portions, giving up a third at a time until I’m gone,
details I’ve cherished will fly from me, dirty and disembodied.

For counterbalance I’ll hold to this thought: once I’m licked
I’ll be nothing but a tight core. Then, I can rebuild, can craft myself,
tools gripped tight in hand. This is how one paves the path to a New Self.
One allows oneself to fall apart; then, the small remainder —

no larger, perhaps, than the pit of and apricot or cherry —
will recall Serenity and will glow again, first feebly yellow
then strong, hard, hot white. And I will then let Discord go
but let her down gently, in case we may have need to love again.