he built her a hope chest
a place to store her future
she fills it with scraps of paper
penciled words they have written
a hope so intense
I imagine you reading my movements.
I picture you anticipating my thoughts.
I can almost feel you stretching
out beside me at 1:00 in the morning.
your calf brushing up against mine.
You toss your arm over my waist.
Breathe warmly against my neck.
I see you tackling me once we've raked up a pile of leaves.
You laugh as I pull crunchy bits out of your hair
You read to me on the porch swing in the setting sun.
I bring you hot chocolate or lemonade
depending upon the season
You throw the dust cloth across the room
when you think I'm not paying attention to you.
I sneeze, but smile anyway.
me, I'm in my jammies
sipping hazelnut coffee with unkempt hair
and slightly cold feet
We wrestle over the remote control
then end up not watching TV.
he built her a hope chest
a place to store her future
she filled it with scraps of paper
with hope, once so intense
a lid shut tight