And then finally
We were at
Long last face
To face studying
Eyes and smiles
Forearms and hands
Fingertips dancing along
Veins on hand
Or fine wrinkles
Near eyes inching
Closer still closer
Feeling each others
Breathy lipped humidity
When at once
They touched closed
Then open finally
Breathing life into
The other silently
For the first
Time us lifeguards
You know how
You simply like
Someone and the
Way they are
Makes things better
Like a beautiful
Present whose wrapping
Attracts you there
But the gift
Inside is what
You find precious
I picked you
For one thing
But kept you
For the thing
That you are
We never ever
Know the story
Behind the photograph
All the smiles
Hide the heartbreak
Like spoken lies
Hide the truth
Honesty is painful
Painted with thin
Brushes and softly
Heard as whispers
And gone as
Quickly like those
Late April snows
Or bicycle bells
That harken glee
So I promised
A poem to
You on Valentines
Day one day
When poems burst
From greeting cards
As quickly as
Sins in confessionals
On Good Friday
But this poem
Has but five
Simple words followed
By two others
Followed by your
One simple one
Word answer will
You be my
Valentine will you
Do you remember
When or how
We did meet
Hey or hello
But Piggy oh
Piggy we became
Friends and the
Occasional lover but
More you became
A vase in
Which the bouquets
Of my poems
Sat blossoming and
Blooming for the
World to see
Readers help me
Wish Piggy a
Warm birthday on
This happiest happiest
Happy of days
Happy Birthday Piggy
HARLAN DIDRICKSON 