Valentine:
You
are not red cardboard hearts adorned with ribbon
and
plastic flowers containing stickysweet candy
not
longstemmed redroses, crooned sonnets or sentimental verse written for
Hallmark.
You
are laundry trailing across the bedroom floor, dishes not carried to the sink,
asking
"Are you busy?" when I am up to my elbows in dishwater or cookie
dough. You are heartsung laughter,
mascara on pillowcases, whispered secrets in our dark, fistfulls of windblown
wildflowers.
I
cannot cease breathing, stop my pounding heart, I cannot keep the wind, the sun
from caressing, searing the prairie.
You
ask a knotted question: "why do you love me?"
Justbecause,
that's all, justbecause.
Valentine:
The
years have flown on wild wind and eagles' wings
my
heart rent, repaired, shattered and mended
You
have never been red cardboard hearts, candy, flowers, candlelight;
Stickysweet
sentimentality
You
are hands to hold in longdark nights
lovesong
in perfect harmony, arias of laughter and tears
you
are banished ghosts, unexpected joy
You
are lingering Sunday morning coffee, the sure routine of everyday, counting
stars Saturday midnight;
Moonsong,
autumn breezes, sunsets followed too soon by sun's rising
You
ask the unanswerable: "Why do you love me?"
I
cannot cease breathing, stop my pounding heart; I cannot keep the wind, the sun
from caressing, searing the prairie.
My
answer remains-
Justbecause
I do
I
do
justbecause.
