day one of countless days to come

~

your beauty

here

under the florescent light

unravels me

in the light

of an evergreen forest

cold 

dripping with morning dew

i'll have to imagine

but i can

and do, waking

in our cabin

pine needles on the roof

drip

drip 

drip

from the gutterless eaves

warm

under a hudson bay blanket

the cabin itself

free of the convenience

of heat

but for the fireplace

grown cold 

you are so beautiful

in this hint of morning light coming slantwise

through the window panes

so beautiful

i am seeing a slideshow

of images 

yet to come today

you

stepping out of bed, pale

then—sipping hot coffee, sleepy

natural

yet to face the mirror

walking among the low-limbed trees

beneath

a sodden sky

stopping by the footbridge

that crosses the whitewater

boulder-strewn creek

talking about every conceivable thing

listening

noses red from cold

but eyes bright

fluffed in down—two ruffled-feathered birds

hands in pockets

shoulders hunched

talking

of things that matter, and don't

mountain water

rumbling beneath us

the sound

of a log truck downshifting 

we step out the way

and walk along the roadside

by bean fields

harvested

and clodded, ready for spring

so many cold wet months away

you are so beautiful

my love 

so very beautiful

driving into the hills

coming on

a cafe, stopping for more coffee

and cigarettes

and conversation

that seems to have no end

that could go on

forever

hoping it does

knowing it might

a late afternoon by the fire

the only sounds

coming from the fire

and us

talking, and quiet

thinking of cold sheets

and our wool blanket, cream colored

four bold stripes

red, yellow, green, black

heavy, at the ready 

images of you, of us, to come

for now—

good morning my love, good morning, i love you

more than you can imagine

~