A Poem for Newlyweds

A POEM FOR NEWLYWEDS


I LOVE YOU
IT'S SIMPLY SAID
AND ALL THE OTHER WORDS I'VE USED
BOILS DOWN TO THIS
I LOVE YOU
I'VE OFTEN WISHED
I COULD SAY IT ONCE WELL
WITH ALL THE MAJESTY OF LANGUAGE
TO TELL IT ONCE WELL
AND BE DONE WITH THE TELLING
BUT IT SEEMS LOVE NEEDS TELLING
IT ENJOYS THE TELLING
BUT WHY ONLY ONE WORD
FOR I LOVE SUNSETS AND SWEET WINE
LONG COUNTRY WALKS AND DOG'S COLD MUZZLE
FRIEND'S EASY LAUGHTER OR GROANS FOR MY JOKES
A MAN'S HANDSHAKE WHEN MY FINGERS HURT
THE SAME STRENGTH IN A WOMAN'S EYES
DOES EACH NEW THING I LOVE
PREPARE MY HEART
TO LOVE THE NEXT THING BETTER
DOES EACH NEW LOVE EXPAND MY HEART
IS THIS WHY THEN
WITH ONE SMALL WORD
THE UNIVERSE IS TOLD
IS THIS WHY THEN
WITH ALL THE BURNING IN MY HEART
TO HAVE IT SAID IN WORDS IMMORTAL
IT ALL BOILS DOWN TO THIS
I LOVE YOU


frank a vollmer