You come to me, running

with tears in your eyes

and your arms longing

to embrace me

my hands, shaking

drenched in blood,

touch you for

the first time

your warmth, your light

has reached the darkness

of my heart

and I can feel it stretching

its muscles, its blood

flowing, its voice

preparing to sing

how wonderful it is

to love and to greet it

as it settles in your soul

"Obra Mai Fu"

George Frideric Handel

Gentle Lord Jesus,

have mercy on the villains,

the necessary evil,

for though his hands are bloody

his trail littered with dead men

his heart aches for beauty

for the flowers that grow

only in Your garden

and for the warmth of love

only You can allow him

Lacrimosa

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

a Valentines meal

for my dearest M

let’s forget about the fancy tables for now

the candlelight, the flowers, even the stars

let us make our way instead to the place

we have saved for each other on the table

shoulders touching, ready to feast on this

lovely Valentines spread

we have prepared for ourselves

 

for apéritif: our tannic isolation from

the world, COVID-19—

hard to swallow, a strong and tactile

dryness that stays in your mouth

and won’t go away

            burns your throat

            takes your breath

            overpowers your senses

an unsettling prelude

 

 

for our main course, a warm and familiar

togetherness—tender, flavorful, seasoned

with time and laughter and dreams of the future

we take our time to marinate our days with memories

(dancing in the kitchen in yesterday’s clothes

walking the dog as the sun sets or when it rains

pillow talks and overtimes and the smell of mornings)

            before searing off the grease of discontent

            then we will take out our dainty plates and savor this

                        home we have built around each other

 

and finally, after all this, let us make room for dessert:

                        an unassuming love frosted with strawberry dreams

                        and dusted with sweet whispers into the night

                        it should be enough to last us through this pandemic

                        but we can put it in the freezer and take it out

                        every time this Valentine hunger lurches up

                                    again from our bellies

 

 

so, my darling, let us hold hands and pray to God to bless our meal

that He keep it fresh every day and forever, never to spoil or lose its flavor

for tonight in this table where you and I are the only guests

we will partake and be full