A poem for my lovely Elizabeth Leigh

How many days has it been?

I guess it could be counted.

Reckoned by multiplication of years and weeks.

Levied from the number of nights the moon has shone down

And passed out, full and content

Since the first night, so many moons ago.

It seems a hundred years, if not a day

Each a blessing that my eyes still open

Because of you. Because of what we’ve made

Because every morning these eyes open to see you

or, at least,

the imprint of you

Fresh on rumpled sheets

How many days and nights have we been here?

How many nights have I fallen asleep with your breath on my face

on my neck

Hushing me to sleep with the comfort of your soul

Daring me to neglect that soft, sweet and so delectable flesh

in favor of the promise of dreams of the same

and a half hours extra sleep to face the day.

How many nights have you held me

in your arms

or in your mind

remembering the thrill of first love, first embraces

first long brushes of trembling lips.

So long ago

And yet the only things still fresh in my mind

Tell me how long it’s been

Or forget the question

Or answer with that smile that still lights my heart and my fires

It doesn’t matter that it’s the 12th day

or the 12th year

or the 12th Valentine I’ve given you

Today is still the first

Just like every day has been the first

The first day I’ve fallen in love

Every day

Since the first day

We met