Types He Liked

His mind and arms were eternally open
but his heart was consistently closed.
When hurt he sought comfort in others;
cast his net wide for options.

He liked the:

clever for mental gymnastics
beautiful for competition
thick to boost his ego
thin so he could feel strong

jaded ‘cause he wouldn’t hurt them
his fans for admiration
vulnerable to exploit
strong ‘cause they wouldn’t fall

kind for their sensitivity
cruel for the torture
young for their purity
older so he could get schooled

writers for their feedback
artists for their passion
mothers for their opinions
nurses for their experience

corrections workers for punishment
social workers for compassion
cheaters for the secrecy
teachers for their rules

addicts for understanding
healthy for their example
eager for the control
aloof for the challenge

naive to corrupt
wanton because they were easy
hipsters for their edge
goth for style and clothing

nerds for the distraction
dancers for their moves
parties for the game
waitresses for the gamble

bold to keep him on his toes
sardonic for the laughter
sad for commiseration
sarcastic for the banter

porn because it was safe
deviant for the excitement
dominant for discipline
religious for redemption

ADD and bipolar for venting
organized for some balance
resilient for odds of survival
needy for codependence

old flames for the familiar
relatives for the taboo
loners for isolation
distance for hiding the lies

If you got too close he pushed away
with everything he could muster.
He was always pushing boundaries
to see what you could handle.

Those who pried his heart open
saw the depth of his despair.
The ghosts of his past haunted him;
his most heartfelt lines fueled by guilt.

I was his final conquest;
he was my favorite case study. 
He loved me as much as he could
but no love could fill his void.      

I was like a quilt of his favorite exes
tailored to his complaints.
His favorites were the unattainable;
manipulation was his forte.

My intention is not to slander-
he did that on his own.
Just want people to understand
I knew his demons well.


Then one day I stumbled upon this poem that he wrote himself in 2012. I had not seen this until 7 years after I wrote Types He Liked.

Straight Man’s Motives (2012)

written by Evan Exempt

Beautiful Woman: I did it to feel good about myself.
Plain Woman: I did it because it was easy.
Young Woman: I did it because it was forbidden.
Old Woman: I did it for the wisdom.
Intelligent Woman: I did it because you get it.
Famous Woman: I did it for the credit.
Sad Woman: I did it so you could wake up to regret it.
Woman in the mask with a whip: You don't give a shit why I did it.