Love’s Condition

by Frank Mundo

Love’s Condition (2015) 
for Nancy

Do us both a favor:

forget our old and tired traditions.

Please don’t love me

without conditions.

Challenge me.

Always

Expect more from me and of me

always

or don’t assume I’ll be kind

or always make the right decisions.

Please don’t ask for my permission

or put either of us in that position.

Love is editing and revision,

like a poem

always

this poem

always

a first edition.

It only holds value

In mint condition.

Forget those good book phrases

and the ideal good a good world praises.

Challenge me.

Always

make me earn it

always

because doubt is an unfit benefit to give

because you’re in the presence of a fool

without exception

without worlds of knowledge

without knowledge of the world.

Life is improvisation and imagination,

like a book

always

this book

always

a signed, first edition.

Its only value 

is superstition.

By Frank Mundo

Frank is a buddy of mine who lives in the ‘burb where I lived in California, just north of L.A. He has written poetry that is so beautiful. He has books out Touched by an Anglo, Different, and others. He is so generous that he mailed them all to me here in the UK. He has encouraged my writing, and listened to some of my audio on SoundCloud. He remarked that his poetry should be read with an English accent. I love him to bits.