"I didn't notice you for a beauty, the first time we met," you said.
"Hush!" said your friends. "Don't you know,
you are talking to a woman??"

Ought I to be offended?
Ought I to prefer that you were the sort of man to fall in before the girl has opened her mouth to speak, has put her hand to any nearby plow, has echoed reason or love or worth of any kind?
Ought I wish that my face overwhelmed you,

knocked you over,

the first
instant
you encountered it?

(ought I imagine there aren't thousands of better faces to knock you again and again in the years ahead-- long after my.... elasticity... has lost the battle with time?)

Goodness, no.

I am as far from wishing that you had loved me on sight as I am from wishing I had loved you on sight... for I cherish those months of my indifference.

I prefer hearts that are earned,


(and I like to think

that we will make up

the time.)

Darling of May

--

Now what shall I say to my darling of May?
To my darling of March, and of June, and July?
For the months have been few
that belong, dear, to you
and a history is one thing we new ones can't buy.

But you come every night that is seemly and right
And you carry your books and a Soon in your eyes
All our months are like moments,
and moments like months
But I shudder to crash through the barrier of wise.

Oh! The man, he is patient, and my eye is plank'd
I have vision that stops at the end of my nose
I can only remember
that soon our December
will go in the way that month always goes

I will watch as the seasons
turn questions to reasons
And flowers go sleeping and dancing goes sweet
My darling of May and of soon-to-be August
will watch for tomorrow, and I'll watch his feet.

----

The Missing

--

Today I get to taste
the missing of your face
tomorrow I will know
the feel of touch and go

the circling, constant dance
supply that meets demand
the need that fills--the need
that needs to fill your hand

You see, in every tock
in every phase and moon
there is a timely way
to do this thing we do

this falling into love
this falling into yes
this falling into work
this falling into rest

today I get to want
tomorrow I can get
I have your heart--in part
Already, but not yet

It is the strangest thing
that part of joy is pain
as part of loving sun
remembers (too) the rain

I love to wait for you
to leave tomorrow wide
unscheduling my years
and eying up your side

The place I love to stand
The place I love to leave
If only--knowing it's reserved--
to come back soon and cleave

---