the manipulators

after the frenzy is over
(undeniable) and the boundaries are
beginning to take root,
sooner than later come the
acts of manipulation---
these acts of pure insecurity &
wanton control are the backbone
of any good breakup &
definitely any good destructive
fall between two people who might
of at some point in time believed that
they understood each other.

discussing with their friends instead of their
significant others, the two learn ways of
trying to make each other do what they want
without asking them, like puppet masters learning
their craft without truly considering
what the partner thinks at all &
so come the incessant demands,
so come the dwelling on the physical flaws
so come the reading of magazines which instruct,
so come the fostering of advice via television
psychiatrists & talk show hosts,
so come the admiration for machiavellian manners of
trying to train one another as if they were one of
pavlov’s own,
so come the dwelling on the specific & meticulous,
so come the flirtations with others in front of the partner,
so come the psychological torments,
so come the withholding of everything from sex to
warm feelings & the back off of courting,
so come the inevitable building back up of the
walls,
so come all the side effects of
a life less honest &
one more step closer to
hating someone that you barely know
but most certainly could have.