Despite living in the world, I’m a monk at heart,
but my heart won’t let me be one.
Even though I’m an old man now and know
nothing lasts, even wondrous romantic love,
once in a while I find myself yearning to have
a woman in my solitary life.
Once in a while I find myself thinking about
a woman’s comforting, sweet ways,
though I know sometimes those ways are not
sweet and comforting and can be heartbreaking.
I’m about to try to find a way to deprogram my
unceasing appreciation of women, and my
occasional feelings of how nice it would be
to have one in my life again.
Maybe like exorcising demons, a priest could
expunge these feelings from my possessed heart,
but, alas, I know I’m just kidding my foolish
self writing that nonsense.
And, to be realistic and perfectly honest,
I know I could never be a monk.
Bob Boyd