Scenes From A Marriage: valentine

today my sweetheart was awash in pain

and i his long loved bride,

today he quietly loved me

and i he, in stride.

today nothing magical was said or done,

no deep longing made voice to one another.

we washed the hair of our babies fine,

each sister and each brother.

today no great lovesong poured alongside

our exhausted bodies as we made for bed

but a simple pause in movement -

his hands, my head.

today his eyes were dim forest groves

and his back a clearing wide.

and i was not the lustful girl

but the witness of a wife.

today we were not clever,

we did not dance or laugh or sing.

but flew each other parallel:

wing, to wing.

today i remember our hard learned treasure

that love is not always a loud, lusty song

but an ever steady abiding,

that rights life's crooked wrongs.

today he did not know i watched

as he stroked the baby's face

and i marveled at the endurance of love

and the sanctuary of grace.

today i wish for my valentine,

peace, and a healing heart

for his burden to be lightened

and his hand in mine in the dark.

image via The Smithsonian The Art Of Love