There is something
About you
That seems so young,
So trusting
This is the part of you that I most love
And the part that I am most frightened to hurt
Do you think the German poets
When speaking of the terror of love
Meant the terror that comes
From knowing
We can be harmed
Or from knowing
We have the power to hurt
Of these two terrors
The second is the greater
Humanity's deeper fear
Perhaps it is so
Even with Americans
Who arm their leaders
Not for fear of being destroyed
But because in disarming them for a moment
All the harm done would be exposed
Leaving the people
Limping homeward in shame
Like Oedipus
Who was haunted by mirrors
The terror that comes
From knowing you have the power to hurt
This is the greater fear
Perhaps this is why our dogs
Can look into our eyes
Unflinchingly
With unconditional love
It is not because they are too stupid to know that someday
We may casually break their hearts
But because they are wise enough to know that
They will never break ours