Unidentified Relationship

When I commit

I'm all in

Nothing will sever my loyalty

*

Like nurturing the 72 year-old

plant in my bedroom

Daily giving my love and energy

Committed to watering

something beautifully long-lasting

*

But commitment isn't something

I give away so easily

*

It takes someone special

to fully satiate my palette

*

Someone to satisfy my soul

beyond

good sex

gentle words

and laughter between everything

*

Beyond the material things

he seems so obsessed with

But I guess gifts are his love language

so for now

I can accept that

*

Being in a unidentified relationships

is bizarre beyond how I raised

but for now

I'm alright with it

*

He hasn't fully made the cut

but he's genuine

and I appreciate that

*

He treats me as his queen

though I don't attempt to rule him

Offers me everything

without asking anything in return

*

They ask us if we're dating

I say, 'We're just friends."

he smiles and interjects

"GOOD friends."

Knowing if he doesn't

draw that line

their pursuit of me

would be endless

*

Although he doesn't care

if I have a partner besides him

He just doesn't want to be one of his friends

As if I was even interested in one of them

*

He tells me about his other partner

I've even seen pictures of them

but that's none of my concern

as long as he holds up his end of our bargain

*

Even if I was the jealous type

for what would I have to worry?

*

I'm the one he flies out for vacations

on his birthday

I'm the one he spends a band on

with a carefree, generous grin

*

I'm the one he brags about to his family

the one he happily introduces to them

*

I'm the one he speaks to honestly

knowing I'd prefer to hear the hard truth

over being sold marvelous tricks

*

I'm the one he takes care of when I'm sick

Making me tea and holding me until I feel better

*

I'm the one he defends from others

although he knows I could handle it

*

I'm the one he is struck by

I'm the one he wants and needs

*

But I know what I want

My perception is keen

*

And if I had felt the same

when we met 5 years ago

things would have turned out differently

When I made it clear to him where I stand

and he said he fully agreed

*

The Uber driver asked us if we were dating

He looked at me and smiled gently

remembering our previous conversation

His reply echoed my words verbatim

*

"No, we're just friends."

"We'll see where it goes from here."

*

His words sealed the deal

as the introduction to our agreement

*

Polyamory is common culture in Cameroon

which is why I knew it wasn't going anywhere

I could ever whole-heartedly commit to

*

After our 2 year gap

he came back to me

Remembering

the queen he held dear

*

We keep in touch

although there's physical distance

but personally I like the space

between the friction filled sheets

and dazzling dates

*

I'm okay with not knowing where it's going

with only being GOOD friends

because while he's great

I can do better than him