Dear Juliet

Dear Juliet,

But soft, the wedding bells
Do ring

Do you hear them, Juliet?
Do you hear
Their drawn out song?

Onward may they carry you
Into the arms of your beau

The one who would not fight
The man who pledged his heart to peace
The coward who only loves those
With giving hearts
And timid memories

Will you walk happily to the altar, Juliet?

Will birds sing?
Will dragonflies parade about your hair?
Will the clergyman bless you
To your satisfaction?

And wherefore art thou, Romeo?

Stuck in a grave
A mausoleum
Decorated like royalty
Though a title
Never would befit
His head or person

Do you stand out on your balcony, Juliet?

Do you pretend to hear
The soft words
Of young love
Levitating up to you?

Do you wish the man
About to be your husband
Could spring such affection
Towards you?

Do you trace your hand
Across your heart
And pray for Romeo?

And do you think
He hears you
When you do?

Dear Juliet—

The bread is baking
And the wine
Is ready to be poured

The gown is tailored
The dances have been learned
Your parents have given
Their blessing
To this union
And this day

And you sit in front of a mirror
Recalling a specter
Frozen in time
Who loved so deeply
It would kill her
And a prayer of regret
Escapes your lips
Before you remember to be grateful
That you evaded such a fate

But can a fate truly be evaded?
Or do you simply slip into another time
When fires rage in someone else’s heart
And bravery sings its song
To another young girl
Who would not be afraid
To take its hand?

Dear Juliet—

You are the east
And the life you led
Was the sun

But there will be no morning
And no envy for you

You are just as all the others are
You are just yourself

A daughter
And a bride

A recollection
Of a missed glance

Poems written
But never spoken

Whispers under a moon
That will never be
Quite as full

You practice your vows
In front of the mirror
Tricking your telltale tongue
Into telling a lie

And who could blame you
If a lie slipped out?

If you said Romeo’s name
Instead of a coward’s name
A name that would soon be attached to yours
For all eternity?

Who could blame you
If, in the moment of matrimony,
You gave yourself to another man
Be he living or no?

Nobody could, Juliet

Nobody would blame you
For a thing

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