A Poem by Bradford Middleton

Confused & Scared of Declaring Love

Her message landed late at night and I couldn't believe what I read
She missed me she wrote, she kept dreaming of us being together
In a bar that she can't remember us ever being in whilst
Her doomed relationship circled the drainpipe

I sat back and read it again
And suddenly a smile appeared across my face which
When dealing with the female of the species
Is a real rare treat for someone like me

Especially with this one, a ravishing beauty who spun me up in her web
But now, well I've got to think about what to say and how to say it
I need it to be downright perfect but something that shows my passion
Whilst maintaining a cool and calm exterior

Because what would I do if she said no
That I've misconstrued her words
To mean more than she could ever offer someone like me
Well then I'd be done, knowing happiness has at long last gone



Bradford Middleton lives on England's south-coast in Brighton.  He was born in London in 1971 but didn't start writing poetry until he was in his mid-30s and slowly, over time, began to uncover a flourishing underground scene.  Three months before his fortieth birthday he had his first poem accepted at The Mad Swirl.  Since then he has become a Contributing Poet there and also had notable work published at Empty Mirror, Zygote in My Coffee, PPIGPENN, Rolling Thunder Quarterly, Fuck Art Lets Dance, Word Riot, Electric Windmill, Dead Snakes, The Camel Saloon and The Weekenders.