A Discourse on Love

My dear readers-

Being a poet

and yet

still considering you
as smart
or smarter than myself

I will now discourse
with you
plainly
on
the subject of Love

I will not describe a fresh, fragrant
flower
plucked in the
Spring of Youth

Nor of the golden
honey sweetness
in the Autumn of Life

Instead...

imagine a young woman
beautiful,
swollen, and doubled
over with birth
pains
With a child
whose father she never
knew,
and never wants to

She was chaste
oure for her
wedding day
But one moment
of walking
unguarded in a dark
city park
And the deed was done

Now, she's determined
to not only carry
th child
But to give it a name
and the best life she, as a
mother can give

Imagine a young man
with a face
that appears 20 years
older than himself
dragging himself out of bed
at 4:30 in the morning
to go to a job
he hates,
where he doesn't earn
what he should

To feed he, his wife, and young child
Resisting all urge to
run away,
give up,
or cheat

So his family may have
a better life

Imagine the grandparents
past the prime
of their child raising days
struggling to keep up
with a little boy and girl
Because their daughter
the children's mother
cannot even see to herself
nevertheless
the needs
of the precious little ones

Now imagine the young
woman, now mother
Smiles at her daughter
And shows the uncomprehending girl
the diamond ring
that will change their lives
and give the lovely girl
a loving father, as well as
a loving mother

Visualize the young wife
waiting anxiously up
for her worn husband
to come home
To greet him with a smile
And loving arms and words
To tell him about his son
To make his life worthwhile

Imagine the joy
of the grandparents
when their daughter
comes home for good
Repentant
and cleaned up from her
previous life
Ready to give her children
the life and love they deserve
and are waiting for

Now...
the best part of all

Imagine a man
wise beyond his years
a vagrant
But widely followed
Imagine betrayal
His friend calls him in

He is beaten beyond
recognition
Unfairly tried
Disrespected
Lied about
and Silent

He is convicted
sentenced to die
on no charges
only lies

He dies
a terrible death
torturous
cruel
No mercy, no relief

His friends astonished
broken, lost

Then-

Three days later
He returns
Raised from the dead

Miraculously

And forgiving those
who tortured,
lied about
and killed him

THAT

is love.