He reads to the kids most nights,
And reads to me in the others.
His morning smile is bright as sunflowers.
He never said “I’ll wait for you”
Because he was busy saying
“I’ll wait with you.”
Sometimes he comes in the kitchen,
Coolant-covered grin clean as
The car he’s fixing.
He’s more often on his knees,
Eyes closed,
Than on his feet,
Arms crossed.
He never says “I told you so”
Because he’s busy saying
“I see your side.”
He finds a friend in every
Stranger.
He sees Jesus in all
Faces.
He galavantly
Buckles the baby
In her seat, peppering
Her princess cheeks
In adoring kisses,
Making her understand
That a man could love
Her in a loveless world.
Allowing me to tie
His neck in a fancy
Windsor knot
Because he couldn’t be
Bothered to try,
He tells me how
Beautiful I am
Even when I hide
In my hair.
He makes me laugh,
He lets me cry,
He throws chocolate
In my general direction
When I’m in more pain
Than the male realm
Can imagine.
He tells me how strong
I am, and how much
He appreciates that
I tell him that as
Well.
His favorite books
Are the ones I write
And the Bible, in no
Particular order, not
That I could compete
With the Bible.
And I wouldn’t, just
To make it clear.
‘Spontaneous’
Is another name
For my darling,
Singing for no reason,
Improvising a song
On a guitar or a
Ukulele to wake
Up our kids for
An extra cheery
Day of school-
With Mommy,
That is.
When he goes
Off to work,
It doesn’t matter
If it’s tedious or
Amazing, he’s
Going to meet
His job with the
Most disarming
Of charm.
He’s the man
Who understands
It’s not wrong
For him to cry.
He lets me hold
Him when life
Is not something
To smile about.
He is strong,
But not hard.
A firm judge
In the wars
Over the Barbie
Or who hit
The other first.
I can’t tell you
His name, or
What he looks like,
Or that I have even
Met him, but this
Man is the man
I will spend my
Days with, in
Sickness and in
Health, till death
Do we part.