Altar of the Goddess of Disfigured Love
Where does love go
when it’s not pretty,
when not received with wide open arms?
Awkward love
Nervous love
Misfit love
Love that comes out wrong
all mumbles and sideways glances.
Love wounded over time
so it doesn’t know how to come out
and when it does
it finds no home.
Misunderstood love
Unrequited love.
Love
yes disfigured
yet love none the less.
Place your love offerings
poorly wrapped
with a lopsided bow and crumpled, stained paper
before her altar.
The altar of the goddess of disfigured love.
Offer these sore gifts
obtuse and tattered
before her
on her altar
knowing she will
at last
be the one who will
who can
accept this love.
She will hold our clumsy love
with warmth and understanding
and a tear of gratitude in her eye.
Offer your love to the goddess of disfigured love.
She with the brown skin
black hair
red lips.
More beautiful than any of the other love goddesses.
She receives
accepts
understands.
Love trapped
haunted and hunted
rejected and unwanted
misunderstood and misrepresented.
Bring your love
which had no home
to the altar of the goddess of disfigured love.
Bring your love
with head held low
and the goddess of disfigured love
will cup your face,
lift you up
and the unrequited ache will be soothed
and you will know your love is holy and matters.
- Jose Enciso
Where does love go
when it’s not pretty,
when not received with wide open arms?
Awkward love
Nervous love
Misfit love
Love that comes out wrong
all mumbles and sideways glances.
Love wounded over time
so it doesn’t know how to come out
and when it does
it finds no home.
Misunderstood love
Unrequited love.
Love
yes disfigured
yet love none the less.
Place your love offerings
poorly wrapped
with a lopsided bow and crumpled, stained paper
before her altar.
The altar of the goddess of disfigured love.
Offer these sore gifts
obtuse and tattered
before her
on her altar
knowing she will
at last
be the one who will
who can
accept this love.
She will hold our clumsy love
with warmth and understanding
and a tear of gratitude in her eye.
Offer your love to the goddess of disfigured love.
She with the brown skin
black hair
red lips.
More beautiful than any of the other love goddesses.
She receives
accepts
understands.
Love trapped
haunted and hunted
rejected and unwanted
misunderstood and misrepresented.
Bring your love
which had no home
to the altar of the goddess of disfigured love.
Bring your love
with head held low
and the goddess of disfigured love
will cup your face,
lift you up
and the unrequited ache will be soothed
and you will know your love is holy and matters.
- Jose Enciso