Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

you

.

n

o

.

longer

trust . . . 

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

feel

.

l

i

k

e

.

giving

up . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

the

times

.

a

r

e

.

tough . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

the

roads

.

a

r

e

.

rough . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

the

winds

gust . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

you’re

covered

.

i

n

.

darkness

.

a

n

d

.

dust . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ when

you’re

covered

.

i

n

.

darkness

.

a

n

d

.

dust . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ? 

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

you

feel

.

s

o

.

dumb . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

believing

.

w

h

e

n

.

the

journey

.

i

s

.

done . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

the

sums

.

a

r

e

.

far

.

t

o

o

.

much . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

you

.

k

n

o

w

.

you’ve

.

h

a

d

.

enough . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

others

.

a

t

.

first

.

like

.

a

n

d

.

lust . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

later

.

stun

.

a

n

d

.

shun . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ when

others

.

a

t

.

first

.

like

.

a

n

d

.

lust . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

later

.

stun

.

a

n

d

.

shun . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

leaving

crumbs

.

o

f

.

fun

.

i

n

.

memory

fades . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

~ leaving

crumbs

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o

f

.

fun

.

i

n

.

memory

fades . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

h

a

t

–

–

–

weigh . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

The

memories

weigh . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

The

memories

weigh . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

The

memories

weigh . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

u

n

t

i

l

–

–

–

they

gray . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ until

.

t

h

e

y

.

gray . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

decay . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

you

.

c

a

n

.

overcome . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

everything

feels

.

s

o

.

numb . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

you

.

c

a

n

.

rise

above . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

i

t

h

–

–

–

the

dance

.

o

f

.

the

dove . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

you

lose

.

i

t

.

all . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

you

lose

.

i

t

.

all . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ even

.

t

h

e

.

sun . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

you

.

n

o

.

longer

trust . . . 

–

–

–

.

.

.

w

h

e

n

–

–

–

you

.

n

o

.

longer

trust . . . 

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

feel

.

l

i

k

e

.

giving

up . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love ?

–

–

–

.

.

.

Can

.

y

o

u

.

give

.

i

t

.

love . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

n

o

–

–

–

matter

what ?

Reflection: 

This is an inspiration/hope-themed poem. I was sitting outside recently thinking about the things that tend to bother people – both internally and externally – and the question came to mind: “Can you give it love?” So, I decided to start with that as the theme for this poem. My hope is that those who read this will become inspired to ask themselves something like: “What can I do to give this love?” when bothered by something internally or externally. At times, they might find they can’t, but much of the time they will probably find they can. And I think that might be a wonderful way to live – so, maybe give it a try. I played two wonderful, haunting gems of indie songs on back-to-back repeat at low volume to create the “moodset” and inspire the writing of the poem: Goddess by Field Guide (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_lqj38T3Jw&list=RDa_lqj38T3Jw&start_radio=1) and Big Star by Current Joys (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TkgCNbl_MM). If you listen to these songs at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.