to burn brilliantly

forgive me
because you have to bend more to kiss me
than anyone else
because most of my words catch in my throat
and the ones that don't
fly too high too fast for you to grasp
because i can't subscribe to your whims
and i can't always follow them with you-
i've got people waiting on me
because i listen more than you do
because i am quiet
and content to be so