Trust Poem by Wild Bill Balding

I want you, but can I trust you?
The things you say excite me,
but I’ve heard them said before:
sweet words dry up too soon,
replaced by shouts and threats.

I want you, but can I trust you?
The way we touch excites me,
but I’ve known that touch before:
caresses stop too soon,
fingers curl into fists.

I want you, but can I trust you?
The love you give excites me.
What is this love
that accepts me for who I am,
that allows me to grow,
to blossom,
to be me,
without fear,
without pressure,
without limits?
Is this real love at last,
or are you a fantasy,
a better liar than the others?

I am so sore, so scarred, so scared.
Be gentle with me.
One day I may learn to trust you.
For now, you’ll have to trust for both of us.
But I want you.