differences

(note: written some time ago, just reminded of it recently)

If I were older
I would tell you of the divinity of your beauty
And you would think me eccentric
Above and beyond the lust
That gives motive to compliment
You would accept my words
The kiss I place on your hand
The cheekiness of my flirting

If I were younger
My clumsiness would leave me tongue-tied
Or prone to outbursts that you may find cute
That you could call youthful infatuation
Or something equally dismissible

But I am as I am
The age that I am
The man that I am
And I want you
Oh, I can stand back and give you honest appreciation
Of your face
Your voice
Your mind
But you would believe what you would
Believe that at the age that I am
At the stage that I am
That there’d be an underlying motive
To compliment
To flirting
That I am at that awkward age
Beyond youth
But not yet distinguished enough
To evade suspicion
And hell, you’d probably be right
Sometimes
But I’m too old to disseminate
And too young to pretend
I don’t want to fuck
So make up your own mind
For what is attraction after all
But one body’s recognition
Of want for another

And yeah, we can just be friends
I’d like that
But what the hell
You are attractive
And I am interested
So if you want to
Let me know
And if you don’t
Well
We’ll talk about the latest book we’ve read
Or movie we’ve seen
Or wine we’ve tasted
And pretend there are no differences between the sexes