One and Two

I was one, and you were two. 

I was not me, but lost in you.

But you were you and could still be

yourself without being lost in me. 

It takes two ones to make up two,

and I did all I could for you.

I cared so much, I couldn’t see

that you were very far from me.

And so I tried till you were through

– without the one, you still were two.

But I was lost and couldn’t see

how you could just abandon me. 

And so, I tried to talk it through,

to make you take me back to you. 

But as we talked, I found that we

were not the same; not two, but three:

for there was me, and there was you,

and one more part I never knew. 

I saw that look of held-back glee

and knew – that it was not for me.

But then I saw, I finally knew

that though I hadn’t renounced you, 

I needed more than “us” and “we”.

“Two” was not enough for me. 

I thank you now, and try to do

what is best for me, not you.

One and one and one make three

– but one of those ones isn’t me. 

One and one will still make two,

but I will not be lost in you. 

– 2002