Fairytales

He looked at her and his eyes said, save me
She held out her arms in a gesture that said you're saved.
He spoke in words that soothed the pain behind her eyes
And she whispered caresses that stroked his battered soul
But neither said a thing.
And each move and stolen word had the emptiness of dreams unrealised
And the dull ache of journeys never made.
They would have songs together and candlelight suppers
Even make love by firelight and fulfil all the rituals of
couple-dom,
Taking pride in each ticked box of joint life.
But she would always feel he loved her more,
And he that others would replace him.
In nights alone she'd have dreams of insecurity,
Half hoping and half dreading that he would never make it home.
He'd contemplate his options drowsily over the vestiges of his independent life,
And walk home simply because his feet would not lead another way
Then one day they'd marry, as the movie said, because they ran out of words to say
But better a life spent with a hand to hold than searching for the hand with matching lines
And better yet the warmth of a body than the dark space of a body that never stays¦

Only not for me the saviour
Nor do I have any desire to save
Give me the silence of being alone
Over the loneliness of being paired
Find me my soul mate in my self
And my missing piece within my soul
Sell me no dreams and I'll barter you no lies
I want the fairytale
Or else, no compromise.