The Pros and Cons

i make a list
as to where
to move, or work,
or who to be with
when the love is shaky,
when there are so many
red flags in front of you.

i write the good
on one side, the bad on
the other. the pros
and cons of whatever it
is i'm deciding upon.

a balance sheet.
sometimes it starts out
all good, all rosy and sweet,
but in time it's heavy
on the con side,
all of it written in
dark black ink.

once you find out what
is unknown,
when the curtain is pulled
back,
the masks come off,
the list changes.

gets torn.
you can no longer tolerate
so much bad behavior,
there's not enough good
to overcome it.

the positives have disappeared.
the joy is gone,
so you start over
on a clean sheet of paper.
you start a new list
with a new love.

you realize that you have
to listen to the list.
it doesn't lie, it never
has
and never will.
pros and cons. it tells
you all you need to know.
write it down
and tape it to your heart.