Heart Like an Open Book

I have always

held my heart out

like an open book

with clearly printed

typeface A pages.

Some have simply judged the cover

while others wrote

their names inside

on the check out lines.

Some stayed to read

a chapter or two

and one highlighted

a hundred things he loved

on page 2003, I think it was.

Some dog eared pages,

leaving creases

that would always stay

and one tore out pages

crumpled them

and threw them away.

I think he thought

that would be the end

but like a phoenix.

the ashes turned to pages again.

I could hide this book

back inside

and keep it safe

within my chest

but if a heart is never

seen or read

would ever want

to love

what’s left.