I Will Hope

I hope...
But hope scares me
For the aftertaste is bitter
It might be smarter to give up—
Accept that everything is likely to get worse

So why hope?
When the reminders are everywhere
That life was never supposed to play fair

But I can't help it
I will hope
I will declare a victory
As fake as it might be
As small as it might seem
As briefly as it might last

Until reality kicks back
And maybe knock me down
Along with my short-lived triumph

Because otherwise
I would have lost before even playing
And who knows
Maybe one of those victories
Would prove to be real

So I will hope.