The Long Road Around

Never let it be said that I did anything
the easy way.
I always seem to take the long road around.

Force myself to repeat the same journey
over and over again,
till I get the lesson through my thick head.

It would be so much simpler to learn from
other’s mistakes,
or just get the hint the very first time.

But the signs and signals seem to be lost on me.
Usually perceptive,
I am never-the-less obtuse in matters of the heart.

So much for my powers of observation and rationalization.
Many blows to the head
are required to get the message through to me.

Never one to come to a quick conclusion
where love is concerned,
I analyze, analyze, and reanalyze every word, thought, action.

Heaven forbid I shouldn’t give a man a second chance
or third, or fourth,
to hurt and take advantage of me; that would be too easy.

Instead I run myself through a rigorous obstacle course
of questions and justifications
to hold on to something that isn’t good for me anyway

Some day soon I hope to stop with the crazy making,
and simply learn
to forego the long road and take the short cut instead.