how much do I love you, you ask,
as if I could quantify it,
assign it some Greek symbol
like pi.

how much, you demand,
and how much
and how much
and how much

so I tell you

I love you
like politicians love power
like old ladies love The Price is Right
like anchormen love tragedy;

I need you
like words need letters
like fire needs fuel
like butter needs bread;

you're not with me tonight
and I hate that
like God hates trailer parks

and now I'm writing this down for you
as naked as birth;

you have it on paper -
I can't take it back

so now I have to ask you:
how much do you love me?

07/31/2007