Open Invitation

I do this to myself
again and again.
Constantly letting people
crawl their way in,
letting them see
the parts of myself
i don't often show.
I allow them
to plant permanent positions 
in my life,
and yet i am surprised
when they only have
temporary love.
And once they hurt me,
i shove them out
so hard that i reel back
from the whiplash of it all.
But somehow,
throughout all the pain
i let my guard down enough
for them to sneak back in.
and the cycle starts all over again.