I am letting go
of the knight
in shining armor.
Even though my whole

life has been lived in
preparation for his
arrival, a song sung
to his greatness

and to my need for
his protection. I am
doing everything I
can to undo the conditioning;

the deep, deep need in my soul
for his strength, his prowess, and
almost more than anything else,
his undoing at the sight of me.

I catch myself again, again, again….
perhaps it’s a soldier,
maybe a CEO,
maybe even Barack Obama.

It’s the man whose strength
of character matches the beautiful
and sublime outline of his strong,
capable body. It’s the man who will

step in the way of any evil that
crosses my path. The man who
makes love to me with the strength
of tenderness - and above all,

a most amazing passion.
If he exists, this man…is
he happy in his role? Is it
really enough to exist only to

guide and protect his loved
ones? Does he long to be a loaf,
to not have the weight of the
good of the world rest on

his weary shoulders? Is he
sometimes afraid…more than
afraid….terrified? And in those
moments, who is his beloved?

Who comforts him and reassures
him that the darkness in his path
holds no power over his life?
Is she a woman merely

beautiful and submissive,
telling him only what he
believes he needs to hear?
Or is she like him in strength, in

prowess…enough to make him
whole and make him humble with
one glance?
It’s all a fantasy, I know.

All of it…the idea of a man
and a woman being more
than a bundle of hurt and
mixed up emotions…more

than a drive for physical and
sexual fulfillment….more
than the playing out of tired,
old stories, myths, fantasies,
fairy tales.