you can tell something

you can tell a lot
by what other people see
when we are together
other people are happy too
perhaps they see something
that is worthwhile
that is rare and valuable
and so we have to decide
do we do the things we want
or the ones we deserve
it is not about truth to others
we have betrayed too many
including each other
to begin worrying now
no, it is about being
and being honest
to who and what we are
apart and together
30 years of friendship
and 5 of affairs
we have survived both
surprising each other
testing our resilience
to its very limits
surviving despite
our lack of faith
in what we built
with time and caring
with love and cruelty
together and apart
so how is it
when we have earned
and stolen so much
that when we are together
other people
see only the beauty
is it possible
when we are together
that is all that's left
dinner is a metaphor
and what will we have
the one we need
or the one we desire