If You Choose Me

You can't be afraid of me
or embarrassed by me.
You don't have to win
a bar-fight for me
but you have to be brave enough
to hold me
when I am fragile.
You can't ignore me
and you have to want me
even if I'm prickly
or gross
or really sad.
You have to hear me
and see me
and smell me
and taste me
and still
even after you know all there is to know
you have to sometimes roll over
during the night
and put your front to my back
and sleep with me that way.

I won't ask you for everything
but I will ask you for some things
and you have to give them to me
even if you don't think they're important.
You have to give them to me
just because you understand
how important they are to me.

You don't have to laugh at my jokes.
You don't have to like my cooking.
You don't have to let me win
when we argue.
But you have to remember
how I take my coffee
and you have to sometimes put your hand
on the small of my back
when we're walking down the street
and you have to occasionally smile
when you're at work
or with your friends
because you suddenly remembered
something sweet
or dirty
or funny
and it reminded you
that you still really like me.

And all these things
you can't do them
just because I asked you to.
You have to want to.
You can't hesitate
or be reluctant.
You have to look at me
and think to yourself
"I could probably do better...
but I don't want to."
You have to choose me
just the way I am.
But you have to like me
enough
to let me be better.