Tickle me pink
let me blush 
with laughter show
me embarrassing peals
and snorts and 
ugly pure glee 
tell me old
ones and new 
ones and bawdy
ones too don’t 
hold back never 
hold back jokes 
for laughter at
least to me 
is the trumpet 
of Heaven itself 
and one of 
the many songs 
of the soul

I remember 
fondly this
the footprints 
in freshly 
fallen snow 
leading me 
ahead to 
somewhere else 
that I 
just follow 
and find 
there you 
staring at
an evergreen 
saying yes
this is 
the one 
and we
this tree
and glee

We did think
it once silly 
things called kisses
first too sloppy
then too slow 
now not enough 
funny how when 
the heart goes 
the lips are
soon to follow 

Me and tree
me and thee
just us three
watch and wait 
ready to raid
gifts this day
ribbon goes flying 
presents once tying
paper done trying 
a little trinket 
me thinks it
that you’d like 

No they don’t 
some may do
but most doubt 
across from me 
cautious and uncertain 
like offering cream 
and some sugar 
having had neither 
they stare frightened 
it’s just intelligence 
I say nothing 
else just my
way of thinking 
fine I’ll try 
you can always 
throw me out 
if you find 
me too sweet 
and start over 
such is this 
thing called dating 
in the age 
of bliss ignorance