Vows

If you keep smearing me,
if you again and again
draw your angry hand across me
and pull me flat and messy over
the ground where I’m trying to stand,
you will just get me all over you.

As sick as it seems,
that might be OK,
as a certain level of disdain,
a reasonable helping of hatred,
and generous verbal abuse
are so familiar to me
I don’t know
if anything else
could feel normal.

I shall not be  
a sainted victim, of course;
I can give you 
ammunition. Subtle digs,
not so subtle betrayals,
suspicions, backhanded 
proof, vicious howling
now and then.

We should agree
that now and then
we shall ease up enough on each other
to see that good is possible,
as those glimpses
will make the anguish
sharper.

You may be stuck with me
but since you like 
giving me what works for me
and I can easily
be there for you as well
in that regard,

let us make a go of this.