First

[DieterM]

I dare not speak to you
for fear of scorching my butterfly wings,
my timid smiles light papers sailing
with ebb and flow of faith and despair

I dare not look at you
and yet, eyes without will can only stare
while ants on LSD run berserk
in brain and chest and make legs jiggle

I dare not think of you,
my palms and forehead damp, though,
from fending off your ever-presence,
my life's delightful poison

I dare not hope that you
might know, might care, might love
thus I embrace devotedly
the pains of withering away