Chant it to yourself

over and over

love is not romance, nor does romance

fully encompass the infinite capacity of love.

The screens you stare at

the books you read

the testimonies you’ve heard

are wrong.

Romanticizing love ignores the suffering

People have died over hormones masquerading as rose petals

The Romance you seek is idealized.

Ignore societal pressure to live

As if you’re a commodity.

As if others are commodities.

They are so much more than

You can see through clouds

of dopamine and estrogen.

butterflies melt in hydrochloric acid

infatuation is glorified obsessive compulsion

do not let superficial giddiness

cloud your reasoning

that is how Troy fell

loneliness is cowardice of self

and the Romance you seek is idealized.

But don’t you see

understanding is more synonymous with love

than ‘talking’ and ‘liking’ and ‘seeing’

and taking favoring interest

in one human consciousness

only narrows two minds.

(God help anyone who considers my broken, conflicted,

and confused thoughts worth their time)

Elizabeth the First had a point

you cannot be responsible for

anything

and carry bias

you imposed willingly on yourself.

Love is patient, love is kind, not jealous

or boastful or rude or prideful

love is not romance

love is so much deeper

than anyone can comprehend.

strive for that

and if one day impossible butterflies

threaten you with the concept

of living (by, with) yourself,

remember

you’re awesome company

but probably harmful