Laura Breidenthal Poet Free verse

Backing Down

You are at my tail again,
Ready to tug violently the moment I stumble
Ready to commemorate the day when I fall before you as second best

Take the throne,
Let me lie still away from your flames,
Torment me no longer in your bittersweet smiles,
Your hollow praise, and angered brow, giving sincerity away…
Be my superior—yes, I back down…
To the embracing ground, I frown,
For never, ever was I higher than you,
And never did I wish to be

Level is where I can see the love sustain us
Though reality is, I must crumple for you to rise

 I realize this, heartbroken,
That our relationship is based off this competitive trance,
Where my little success wars into your bitter self-loathing
As I hear your burning thoughts against me boiling
Comparing all of me to your worth and being,
Never appreciating that we stand with parallel purpose
Never believing me when I say…
That I love you, for you
And not as the beast I bring out of you…

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Stephen Kilmer November 20, 2015 at 9:42 PM Just read it again and I stand by my words. ~kilmer~ Laura Breidenthal November 21, 2015 at 12:24 AM Love ya dear!!! ~Laura

Stephen Kilmer September 21, 2015 at 3:58 PM Sometimes people will put you on a pedestal just to see you fall. You are worth more than that. You are the best poet on this site. Love hurts but it can be overcome. Don't let the shadow boys ruin all your dreams. ~Kilmer~ Laura Breidenthal September 21, 2015 at 5:07 PM That's...the nicest thing anyone has ever wrote to me dear... thank you so so much.. wow.. you just made my day! Lots of love for you.. ~Laura

Kj Force September 21, 2015 at 12:54 PM Laura..WOW...if only we knew what we are capable of in a relationship. How many of us have been there done that and not even aware...thought provoking words my friend..excellently done..hanks for the share.. kjforce Laura Breidenthal September 21, 2015 at 2:24 PM Hey! It's great to hear from you, and thank you so much for your thoughts! ~Laura

Kp Nunez September 11, 2015 at 11:44 PM Just got to read this my friend. Such pain and acceptance sears the heart of a sensitive reader. While I hope this is fiction, I've known you to write from the heart. I feel you...hugs! Laura Breidenthal September 12, 2015 at 1:33 PM Thank you, sweet Kim. Dealing with a personality so different from yours can be a challenge, but it becomes even more challenging when they become your opponent as opposed to being your partner. This was not a fiction poem, though I am glad for such experiences, as they help to strengthen my heart and toughen my soul. ~Laura

Duke Beaufort September 8, 2015 at 7:17 PM Is this an ouch? Well, this was not meant to be. It takes a while to get to know someone, so we try to be careful, but that is not the way we're wired. Don't we just jump in head first? In some cases, the flesh leads us to do so, and then (later) reality seeps in and devastates us. I sympathize. You are a wonderful spirit and communicator. How lucky to be with you, but some dummies will never know because they are operating at a low baud rate. You be faster decoding these traits now. Laura Breidenthal September 9, 2015 at 3:26 AM I think Justin Bordner summed it up beautifully. He said "There is no second place for love, it reigns supreme when two souls join for it's glory,competing healthy and happily in love's arena"...so true! I was hoping you'd have your say for this poem as well. This relationship is a long and complicated one, so I know when to back in and out of things, due to being around the person for so long. It hurts to feel the rage of competition and not be aware that it is you and someone you really love competing to prove the worthiness of their selves... my friend I speak of in this poem is one who self degrades, who hates, who resents, when "losing"... it just hurts really... I do my best not to let it get to me..~Laura

Paul Callus September 8, 2015 at 3:58 PM This is powerfully expressive, Laura. The "give and take" concept is often misinterpreted....some just expect to take while the other half gives!! Love is supposed to bring the best out of us, on an equal level! Groveling to please is unacceptable, except in a scenario of "yes, master/mistress"!! ~ Regards ~~ paul Laura Breidenthal September 9, 2015 at 3:20 AM Thank you for reading Paul! I kind of see what you mean at the end there, but it is not so much groveling to please as it is to simply swallow your pride, and LOVE that person, while realizing that the person you're dealing with just HAS to be better than you and higher than you in everything, if that makes sense. Backing down to this type of emotional abuse could indeed appear to be unacceptable, and even pathetic, when in reality it is just what is inevitable, as I am not really the competitive type of girl...it's about dodging the flames to save oneself really! Yep, I definitely agree with you on the love is supposed to bring the best out of us, and be leveled...not just one person giving and giving and the other taking. ~Laura

Justin Bordner September 8, 2015 at 2:12 AM To create together,survive together, to love together,to flourish together,this is what makes love superior to all other motivations and goals.There is no second place for love, it regeins supreme when two souls join for it's glory,competing healthy and happily in love's arena, for none gets slain but the false heart,none lose except the demons that sadly attempt to destroy well founded and motivated companions.A King and Queen coexist in love victory Laura.This deep poem has me hot woman J.A.B. Laura Breidenthal September 8, 2015 at 2:27 AM So so true Justin. Your loving words always teach me and strengthen me. It kills me when loving a person while they use you for all of the wrong reasons. And they always must win... It kills me to stand over them and say they are wrong, that love never works that way and it never will. To be silent as the grave, is to be the grave. Death of the relationship is the way I must back down. It is the more grounded approach against such a personality. Thank you for reading..~Laura

Kp Nunez September 7, 2015 at 2:03 PM :-( Laura Breidenthal September 7, 2015 at 6:12 PM Hey Kim...thanks for reading, sorry it's such a downer.. hope you're doing well... ~Laura