How Stupid Can Love Be? Poem by Gabriel Mapati

Reading this you will hate me.
You might even wish to slap or even kill me.
But this is how I felt and how I feel about you.
What you do from this point is of your choosing.
I am done messing around.
I am tired of being stupid.

At first glance, I knew you were worth an effort.
I knew you had the right features that would make any man go crazy.
At that point, I knew I wanted you.
Wanted you just like any man would.
How stupid I was.

Hours, days and months passed as I waited for the right moment.
The right moment to talk to the woman I felt so enchanted by.
I waited ready to pounce like a hungry hyena.
But the day didn't seem to want to come.
Until one faithful day when you finally smiled at me.
What a stupid move that was.

At that moment I realized my chance had finally come.
I did my best to keep you smiling, to keep you wanting more.
If only you had known what was on my mind then, you would have hated me.
But you had no clue, so I kept you close.
How stupid you were.

All I wanted was to have you for a while and leave you.
The word keep never sounded in my head.
And to me, that seemed like a dream worth accomplishing.
How stupid I was to think such evil.

Like prophets, your friends seemed to see me for what I was.
But for some reason, I was able to change their minds into thinking I was an angel.
And so their frowns were turned to smiles.
So I weaved myself into their hearts and they took me in.
Taking me in not knowing my real agenda.

Now I have you but all my intentions are gone.
I fight so hard to get you off my mind but I can't.
Even my friends are now thinking I'm bewitched.
They think so because my mouth is not getting tired of uttering your name.
For some reason, I can't let you go.
How stupid am I?

My initial plan has failed.
All I have are emotions I know nothing of.
I have been attracted before.
I know of lust and I know of passion,
But I know nothing of this new feeling I feel for you.
How stupid am I? .

Because I have liked women before, I know how it feels.
But this that I feel is beyond just liking.
I have tried to find the right word to describe it,
but my vocabulary seems too small.
I have consulted those that I trust and respect.
But the answer that they give me is that which I do not want to accept.
How stupid am I? .

I try even harder to find another word to describe my feelings for you,
but the same four letters remain the answer.
How is this even possible?
I never thought I could fall in love, but I am.
And I am in love with you.
And that seems like something that is going to stick for quite a while.

How any more stupid can all this get?
And is it even possible for you to want to keep playing this stupid game with me?
A stupid question that I wish you would answer yes.
How stupid I want both of us to be.