Maxine L. Bryant
2011 Indiana Honor Scroll Award

Maxine L. Bryant, 52, Indianapolis, is a first-time winner in the SPL contests. She is Director of the Mayor’s Office of Offender Re-entry, City of Indianapolis, and an avid poet, bike rider, traveler, horseback rider and reader. Most especially, she is the proud and loving mother of two children, Mayosha (LyricBlu) and Jonathan. Maxine refers to her writing as “Poetic Ministry.” Her sun sign is Sagittarius.

MY LOVE

I tell myself not to love you so much.
I tell myself it is not fashionable or proper to show my
           feelings too much.
But what I tell myself and what I actually do are not the same.
           And so—
I love you anyway. I show my feelings even though I think
           I shouldn’t.

I risk being rejected and ridiculed.
I risk having my love thrown back in my face.
Perhaps I should handle my love more carefully.
After all–it is my love you know!
But I want to give you my love. I only wish you wanted it!
I want you to appreciate it and cherish it.
After all–it is my love you know!

So what do I do with my love thing?
Do I keep pushing it at you only to have you keep pushing it back?
Do I willingly take it back and keep it to myself and wait. . .
           until I find another to share it with?
Or do I leave it be and just wait and see. . .
           what happens?

I must decide. For you see, it is my love,
and I alone choose what to do with it.

I love you.