"Balances" by Nikki Giovanni

Balances

In life
one is always

balancing

like we juggle our mothers

against our fathers

or one teacher

against another

(only to balance our grade average) 

3 grains of salt

to one ounce truth

our sweet black essence

or the funky honkies down the street

and lately i've begun wondering

if you're trying to tell me something

we used to talk all night

and do things alone together

and i've begun

(as a reaction to a feeling) 

to balance

the pleasure of loneliness

against the pain

of loving you

Nikki Giovanni