The artichoke
With a tender heart
Dressed up like a warrior,
Standing at attention, it built
A small helmet
Under its scales
It remained
Unshakeable,
By its side
The crazy vegetables
Uncurled
Their tendrills and leaf-crowns,
Throbbing bulbs,
In the sub-soil
The carrot
With its red mustaches
Was sleeping,
The grapevine
Hung out to dry its branches
Through which the wine will rise,
The cabbage
Dedicated itself
To trying on skirts,
The oregano
To perfuming the world,
And the sweet
Artichoke
There in the garden,
Dressed like a warrior,
Burnished
Like a proud
Pomegrante.

And one day
Side by side
In big wicker baskets
Walking through the market
To realize their dream
The artichoke army
In formation.
Never was it so military
Like on parade.
The men
In their white shirts
Among the vegetables
Were
The Marshals
Of the artichokes
Lines in close order
Command voices,
And the bang
Of a falling box.

But
Then
Maria
Comes
With her basket
She chooses
An artichoke,
She’s not afraid of it.
She examines it, she observes it
Up against the light like it was an egg,
She buys it,
She mixes it up
In her handbag
With a pair of shoes
With a cabbage head and a
Bottle
Of vinegar
Until
She enters the kitchen
And submerges it in a pot.

Thus ends
In peace
This career
Of the armed vegetable
Which is called an artichoke,
Then
Scale by scale,
We strip off
The delicacy
And eat
The peaceful mush
Of its green heart.

--Pablo Neruda--

ok, not like anyone is really gonna care to read this, but i just have to get this off my chest since people concerned really dont give a flying one...

why is it that people LOVE to talk, making people put faith in them, only to turn around and give you a load of bs about why they arent there for you when you want/expect them to be? i just dont get it...

on top of that, i dont think anyone can really answer, but why do i always seem to believe people when they say things even when common sense should tell me not to?

im sooooo ready to leave all this bs here and move on.

sorry for the rant but i needed to do something to make myself feel better.

I'm tired of these stupid games people play! What is up with all the drama lately? I know I've contributed my share, but I don't get that either. Like, what is my problem? Why can't I just come out and say what I want? Why do I make it so hard for myself (and for everybody else)? My head hurst! It just doesn't make any sense! I've fried my brain with all this crap. Hopefully this will all blow over soon. My friends will stop fighting, and I'll figure out what to do about Capitan I Don't Know What The Hell He Wants. Y'all know who I mean on all accounts. Whatever, sorry for the rant!

I was sick and tired of seeing her suffer. Her boyfriend may have been my best mate, but he sucked as a boyfriend. He was always ignoring her, picking fights and making rude comments. Theyd done that as friends but he seemed to think it was ok for him to do it more when they were together. It wasnt. I was constantly at her side comforting her and being her shoulder to cry on. Through all this I realized that somewhere along the line Id fallen in love with her. On top of that I felt horrible for having pushed them into a relationship. Id hoped, selfishly, that it would help their constant fighting. It didnt, if anything it made it worse. I had to tell her how I felt. I came up with a plan. At the ball that was to be held for the seventh years, I would let her know just how I felt. As we prepared for the ball, I acted as if nothing were out of the ordinary. We talked and helped with the strangling dress clothes we had to wear. We waited if the common room for her. When she came down the stairs, my jaw dropped. If I had thought she looked amazing at the Yule ball, it was nothing compared to how she looked that night. Her hair was swept back into an elegant French twist, her makeup was done immaculately, and her dressit was incredible. The flowing black silk gown brushed the floor and clung sexily to her curvy frame. The neckline was daringly low and displayed a beautiful silver necklace. I almost couldnt believe how wonderful she looked. I always thought she looked beautiful, but she was beyond words that night. The pang of jealousy when he arrogantly took her arm to escort her downstairs came fast and hard. I hoped that my plan worked, I wasnt sure how much longer I could take the torture. The ball was nice enough, and typically normal. The two of them fought and he purposely danced with other girls right in front of her. Of course, I was right there for her, but soon it was time. I gently left her side and headed towards the stage. It was announced that a student would perform next. I got onstage and the whispers started right away. I took a deep breath; there was no going back.

I realized it was past time for me to tell you how I really feel, I hope you know who you are. I began singing.

ListenI

 see the way he treats you

I feel the tears you cry

And I makes me sad

And it makes me mad

Theres nothing I can do baby

Cause your lover is my best friend

And I guess thats where the story ends

So Ive got to try to keep it inside

You will never be

Never be mine

But if I was the one who was lovin you baby

The only tears you cry would be tears of joy

And if I was by your side youd never

Know one lonely night

And if it was my arms you were running to

Id give you love in these arms of mine

If I was the one in your life

If I could have just one wish

Id wish that you were mine

I would hold you near

Kiss away those tears

Id be so good to you baby

Youre the one I want next to me

But I guess thats just not meant to be

Hes there in your life

And sharing your nights

Itll never be

Never be right

If I was the one who was lovin you baby

The only tears you cry would be tears of joy

And if I was by your side youd never

Know one lonely night

And if it was my arms you were running to

Id give you love in these arms of mine

If I was the one in your life

I wanna reach out and feel you beside me

Right here beside me baby

Take you in my arms right now

Scream I love you right out loud

Someday I pray

Ill find the strength

To turn to you and say

If I was the one who was lovin you baby

The only tears you cry would be tears of joy

And if I was by your side youd never

Know one lonely night

And if it was my arms you were running to

Id give you love in these arms of mineIf

I was the one in your life

Throughout the song Id watched her face and the changes that took place in it. At first shed been shocked that I was up there, then she seemed to just enjoy the song, but about halfway through realization dawned on her face and she and I looked gazes for the rest of the song. When I was done, the whispers started again, most people seemed to get the meaning. When the applause started, I wasnt sure if they were applauding my performance or the message, nor did I care. I walked straight over to her while she stared at me openmouthed. When she found her voice, it was small and full of wonder.

 Diddid you mean it?

Absolutely.

Why didnt you say anything earlier?

I didnt realize it until not that long ago, and then I wasnt quite sure what to say.

But, why now?

I couldnt take seeing you upset anymore. Im truly sorry I pushed you two into a relationship, it was wrong and selfish of me. I just hope I can make it right.

Thank you, I know you didnt mean any harm, and it wasnt like you had to push hard, we were all hoping a relationship would change things. It did, just not for the better. Im so happy, but Im not so sure about him. She pointed behind me. I turned around to meet a fist square on the jaw. He began shouting at me and had everyone staring.

What the bloody hell is your problem?! You have everything you want! Why do you insist on taking everything I want as well?!

You certainly dont act like you want her! You treat her worse than anyone else! Every time shes upset, Im the one whos there for her! Not you! You usually cause it, you have for years! Shes never happy, why cant you see that? Its not working between you, how can you not see it?!

 Its none of your business what our relationship is like. You always stick your nose where it isnt welcome! Your just cant stand not being the center of attention!

 Youre unbelievable! It is my business, shes my friend and you were too! I cant stand to see whats happened to our friendship. We hardly ever speak, and now its down to ridiculous arguments and fists? Its not right. We need to get things back to the way they were.

They cant if youre trying to take my girlfriend!

Im just trying to make things work. And be honest with yourself. Is it really working out?

 Thats not the point. You just want what I have.

Its not like that. Over the past while Ive realized that I fell in love with her a long time ago. I just didnt know what to do about it. I had to tell her, I wasnt sure how long I was going to be able to take seeing her unhappy and feeling this way about her without doing anything. I just want her to be happy. Dont you? My calm logic seemed to be getting through to him. He himself had told me recently that it didnt seem to be working out. His temper seemed to be dying down as he digested what I had said.

 I do want to see her happy, I just hate that I cant seem to do it fir her.

Its alright. You make her happy more when youre friends, maybe you guys need to go back to that.

Maybe youre right. He turned to her and took her hand. Im sorry. I dont know what I was thinking. I never meant to upset you. I hope we can still be friends. What do you say.

That sounds like a good idea. Are you sure youre ok with everything now?

Sort of Im getting to be. Ive always been jealous of him, you know that. Im trying to get over it. I just want everything to be ok again. Ill get over it.

 You know I dont ask for these things to happen. They just do, I dont know why. I want you to know that Ive also been jealous of you.

Me? Why?

You have the thing Ill never have. A family who loves you.

But

Its ok, its just nice to see that its possible to find a loving family, those seem scarce these days. Im surprised when she gets up and pulls us both into a hug.

You do have a family who loves you. Were a family. It may be unconventional, we still love each other. Maybe we dont all love one another in the same way, but we love each other nonetheless. Whether we want to admit it or not. He relaxes beside me.

Im sorry mate. I really need to watch my temper, you know how I can get. Can we be a family again? I pull them both closer.

Of course. As long as you can handle she and I being together. Ill get used to it.

 So will I. She says as she kisses me.

We release him and I pull her into an intimate embrace and kiss her senseless. Suddenly we hear applause, he had started it and now everyone, except the Slytherins, had joined in. We would be alright. Life was good.