A Couple of Poems

To Serve as Explanation

I searched for love in poetry

for happiness in verse,

I thought I could find

some ready-to-wear words

that fit us

precisely.

Of course, things like that

don't happen.

Only tailored words

can ever fit two people

as different and alike

as we.

And since I'll be

reviewing the budget

tomorrow,

hiring a tailor was

out of the question.

So although these lines--

for poem I'm not sure it is--

will not be followed by the name

Dickinson, or Shakespeare, or Donne,

know the hand that wrote them

is my own.

To Actually Describe (or Passing the Buck)

After four tries,

over two days,

to write a poem that

seemed to describe

accurately and without

quaintness, what it was

I wanted to express,

I have determined

my own words to be

insufficient.

Let's see if you can do better?

I expect a love note on my pillow by

Sunday afternoon.

Love you lots! Happy anniversary!