On Paper

If this were math, you'd have me, boy
I can promise you that

If this were trigonometry
You would be, like
My favorite triangle

Because on paper you look
Like a winning lottery ticket

But when I'm with you
I find myself imaging your face

Stretched out on paper
Like a map of the world

And the thing about those maps is that
They distort things, you know?

They make things look different
Than they really are

Not better or worse
Just different

But either way
The point remains

That for me
You only work
On paper

And I could say 'Yes' and move this forward
And pretty soon we'd be saying 'Yes'
To other stuff

Like naming this something
'Seeing each other' or 'Exclusive'
Or 'In a Relationship With'
Or, even, who knows
'Engaged'

And I could milk this
I really could
Like a heifer on a Tuesday morning

Because I'm not the only one
Who knows how great you are
On paper

Most of my friends are telling me to take you

'Take him' they say
'He's great!'

And I say 'Yeah, but only on paper'
And they say, 'It's impossible to love a 3-D person.  You see too much.
Better to love what you can put down
On paper.'

Paper is safe
Paper is comforting
Paper beats rock
But scissors are sexy

So I took you on paper
And I cut you up

Not maliciously
Just so I wouldn't be tempted
To write my name down next to yours

Because I like that too much

I like how we look
Mapped out and distorted

But no matter how hard I try
I just can't seem
To bring the words
To life