Sitting with you, I’m tense, fidgety.

I can’t relax. My eyes follow every movement, every flinch. Your words are elusive. I can’t grasp their meaning.

*

I drink with my bestie,

I’m zoned in, focused, deep in conversation.

I forget time, nodding in agreement, engaging.

*

With you, everything is foggy, memory gone.

I cling to your positive words, missing the hidden meaning behind what you don’t say…what’s missing.

**

Missing what’s missing,

Hooked on single words that are meaningless.

**

With my bestie I leave inspired, calm, energized.

With you I leave somewhat confused, still not sure where I stand.

*

You talk as if you have something to prove…as if you need to win me over instead of getting to know me.

With my bestie we already know each other, are humbled by each other’s experiences. We listen and learn from each other.

*

You are always treating time with me like an inconvenience.

My bestie is trying to carve out more time in her busy schedule to spend with me.

*

They say your soul mate, your true partner, is your best friend.

Maybe my bestie is my life partner and men are just flings we have on the side, making time for when it’s convenient.

*

What women ultimately want has nothing to do with sex.

Sure, we want sex, but there is nothing wrong with separating the two.

*

Maybe men today can’t live up to what women need…

Maybe they just don’t want to.

*

Patriarchy could have something to do with that.

Women are taught to be princesses, rescued by their prince.

In reality, women usually rescue women from said prince.

*

I still want a real man…

Not someone to save me or sweep me off my feet.

I want someone who makes me think, challenges me, but also lifts me up and makes me feel like I can conquer the world with my dreams.

I want someone who gets lost in conversation with me, completely engaged and seduced by the depth of my thoughts, not my attraction to him.

*

Does this exist? Maybe.

But he needs to be curious and humble;

Curious about my layers and humble to my depth…and I to his.

*

But I ain’t got time nor patience for the game.

Be real. Be humble. Be a man.