I stand there in clown make-up

And pose

Waiting for a reaction

The universe in one hand

My heart in the other

Matter of fact

You blinked three times

Which means you’ve seen this trick before

Which means I should go stage right for more props

So I

I make a rabbit appear

Right out of my ass

I blow fire off my tongue

I jiggle and shake smiling hard but

You say no with your eyes ten times

Matter of fact

Which is my sign to

Flip and fall and freak out

And dervishly whirl

And wreck your life if you don’t

If you won’t-

Practice the art of romance

On my whims, at my request because I feel ugly when you don’t touch me

When you don’t compliment me

When you ignore me

And you sigh forever

Unimpressed

By my childish ways

Of trying to love only the outside

Of you.