Be Careful

Be careful
How you speak the language of love
For the one you claim to love
Could one day grow to hate you.

When your love
Twists
And turns
And tears
And torments
It starts to reek of pain.

'I love you,' you say.
But know
That that last unreasonable demand
Could be the straw that breaks her back.

'I love you,' you say.
But know
That that last barbed wire criticism
Could be the one that makes his sense of self snap.

'I love you,' you say.
But know
That that careless caustic comment
Could be the one that makes her brittle heart crack.

 'I love you,' you say.
But know
That that place you pushed him to
May be so far
It is impossible for him to find his way back.

We are careless when we love.

Be kind
Be good
Be gentle
Be generous of heart
And mind
And body
And soul
And watch as the layers of love unfold.

Be careful
How you speak the language of love
For the one you claim to love
Could one day grow to hate you.

-Naima Robert