I was taken by surprise

The things he said
In the beginning. 
Wanting the same things I wanted. 
He was interesting. 
He was attractive and attracted. 
I was hooked. 

He was gonna be back
In just a few weeks 
Then we’d meet.  

But I didn’t wait!
I just fell. 
(Crazy I know.
But I’m okay now.)

When I love someone 
It means something — 
Trust, for one,
And wanting to help
if help is needed. 

So when things started
going sideways,
Finance over romance;
Him saying one thing
But circumstances kept contradicting…
I hung in. I gave in…
I gave him 
the benefit of the doubt. 

When finally I saw
his game for what it was,
Hanging in to the end
Became my game. 

My problem is…
All along…
I borrowed money
To play his game. 

(I look on the bright side
It’s just banks,
Not loan sharks.

When they’re circling though,
They look a lot alike.)

I called his bluff,
Hand after hand,
Deal after deal,
To finally see his cards— 
True or false? 

And I did. 
I found out
Who he’s not. 

Not the man in the pictures. 
Irony upon irony in
Who the picture really is. 

I loved the man
In the pictures 
But he’s not 
The man I loved. 

The man behind the pictures 
Is not him either. 
Wright Walker doesn’t exist. 

Who then did I love? 

I loved Wright Walker,
My imaginary, virtual friend and lover.
He was mostly in my head but
I didn’t make him up.

He was an illusion, a delusion
An act, an actor.
But still—
He is someone…
He’s a man;
How low they go…

I have the evidence 
To prove who he isn’t
But nothing of who he is.

A figment of his or 
someone else’s
Imagination?

Or satan’s
Or God’s?

I won the game because 
I found the trump card.
I know some truth
By proving the lie. 

If I had folded
Before the game was over
I wouldn’t have known 
I would always wonder

I do anyway. 

He never said
He didn’t love me
He kept assuring me
Till the last day, 
The last texting

I love you, but…

I think not. 
There’s no ‘but’ with love.  


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