He stands tall
beneath an emerald canopy of aged pine
strong in body mind and spirit
he is at one with nature
dark eyes miss nothing
in the wooded glen he pauses
lips parted in boyish wonder
struck by its tranquility
as beams of sunlight kiss the trees
the summer colors
about to give way to fall
he calls this place heaven
or as near to it as we could hope to be
the cadence of his voice
calm and soothing
flows gently through my veins
like water rippling
it drowns out the world and floods my soul
with affection so real
more than magic
this miracle man who shares my life
intangible like love itself
there are no words to explain his goodness
content he smiles
and stoops to gently touch the earth
to feel its softness and caress a fallen leaf
he would never pluck from its tree
a gift for me
he finds it beautiful
to recall this day and fill our pages of memory
with happiness and new beginnings
I close the only thing standing between us
the air we breathe to take his hand
to say I have been blessed
is simply not enough.