Masquerade

I know what I said.
Please.
I'm good with words
I choose them wisely
consciously, precisely


I watched your face
Watching mine for cues
Your lips
wondering which way to curl
Your eyes
Beautiful, by the way
not that I'll ever tell you that
Looking into mine
to decide
to spark or spill


I decide.


My eyes
prettier than yours, hah
lead you on
I sneer.
Openly
You think it part of the play


We play out the masquerade
timed, planned, scripted
No missteps, glorious motions
You, always one step behind
You, always a second too slow
The dub to my lub
The pocus to my hocus
The blink to my wink


People think it perfect
So well do they go together
these long ago written pairs
I whisper silent gratitude


And you
you think it right
Why would you not?


Someday you'll know
that was part of the script too
I wrote out your lines even before mine
the actor in this was me, not you


Only, I burned your words
and let you follow mine