Richard King Perkins II
Because I’m Being Honest
Moon-deprived, I stumble full-bodied into the yard,
fallen from winter’s black clouds, humiliating myself
because it’s what you love most in me. This is what
I have to give.
At the small gathering, you yell at me but tell me
it’s for an entirely different reason—but it’s really
because I crave the body of a liar and fool more than
anything that might be right.
You won’t laugh at my humor because it’s really no
substitute for intimacy. The photo on the wall gives
us both pain for what we used to be. And now: our
post script has become greater than the body it was.
Richard King Perkins II is a state-sponsored advocate for residents in long-term care facilities. He lives in Crystal Lake, IL, USA with his wife, Vickie and daughter, Sage. He is a three-time Pushcart, Best of the Net and Best of the Web nominee whose work has appeared in more than a thousand publications.