The genie’s out the bottle
I can never put it back
Now I’m ever haunted
By the ghosts of cyberchat
They speak in whispers
I cannot hear
In hidden shadows
They reappear
Leech upon my tender faith
Prey upon my fear
It’s not so much their faces
It’s more the little spaces
They occupy in her life
As if they meet some need
A hunger I can’t feed
As a husband to my wife
I know a little flirting
Is no cause for hurting
The only one I care for
And how can I begrudge her friends
Still I wonder where it ends
Infernal whys and wherefore
It used to be such fun
When we started out as one
Now I’m on the side
Fighting windmills of false pride
I’m in a maze
With dead-end ways
Whatever I do makes it worse
I guess that’s the genie’s curse
I’m tired of my anger
Tired of my shame
Of my screwed up emotions
Tired of this game
I tell myself to grow up
Stop acting like a child
Yet still the feelings show up
And voices drive me wild
Perhaps all this is penance
A self-inflicted pain
A cross to bear in silence
There’s nothing left to gain
The silly thing is this
A kiss is just a kiss
And she has done no wrong
It’s only in my head
When I’m lying in my bed
That I hear this doubter’s song
So I cling to my belief in love
Rely on hope and trust
Endure the storms of jealousy
Do all the things I know I must
For there may be ghosts in the air
That torment my darkest hour
But she is real and she’s with me
Our love has greater power
— Wayne Visser