Seeking.2010 Poem by Roy William Gotaas

SEEKING.
The lonely heart, yearning for validation,
Takes hopefully whatever comes
To hand, to eye, to ear.
From playground days naively asking friends
'Do you think she likes me? Go ask her for me,
Does she like me? '

Seeking a glance; inwardly urging the glance
To become a look: hoping to pass the survey
But unaware one's staring like a fool.

Age brings sad wisdom and one learns
The look may be a reckoning thing - 
Gauging for usefulness, not love.
One may pass muster for a purpose
And the smile that comes, and seems a blossoming,
Is recognition of one's pro tem value for a scheme.

There are smiles and smiles and smiles
And an eager-hearted eye assumes them all the same.
But the smile of liking may not be a smile of loving.
Words may be kind that are not invitation;
A touch may be gentle that isn't foreplay.

Not to be disappointed, used or hurt,
Perhaps the way's to treat all words and smiles
And such as upward steps? Take them only
For what they are and mount by each a little higher,
More confident there is a height where waits the one
Whose smile will be the all the heart would have it.