Don't Play With a Lonely Man

You don't want me to be happy.
The heart is a maze you seem to think you know well.
Then tell me why you can't control your inflection.
You know what you're doing but it's compulsive.
You want to prove to yourself that you can.
That you're worth me.
It's an insecurity that makes you more endearing.
You may know that, too.
You bounce around from smile to smile to reup on validation.
I know a bit about that.
Don't play with a lonely man.
This heightened sensitivity feels a deep, passing kindness.
From a distance, I'm not even angry.
I'm frustrated that I kept my walls up for so long, and I brought them down just to get played.
How do I remove you from my mind?
How do I look at you with disinterest, not anger?
Keep me at a distance, you failed me.
I just want to feel good.