Flush

Elizabeth, let me count

Because you make me laugh

a humor that comes from your full self

the belly rings, the mind dizzles

the heart sing a—ling-a-lings

Because once you held me in your arms

when I was troubled, sorrow

ripping my heart

my friend had jumped off the edge of the earth

trapeezed to the arms of death

your comfort

nestled me into the warm arms of life

Because you have known me all my life

and I have never been afraid of you

love your force your wit, your directness

which scares other people away

attuned to convention

the absurd, the obvious

I love you for your reverence

no, not just for your lord, but for what goes

beyond the imaginary and touches

the heart of the real

I love you for I have known you

Since your birth, even when no more than

a few, non-essential sentences have

passed our lips, caressing each other

with the familiarity of blood, of kin

you did not hate me when others did

struggling with the battle of self

How many ways?

So numerous, so many

so many people

for whom I count for

the salvation  of libing

who bring succor to quench

How we love some folk

we do not know

because their music

their voice

their actions, their words

touch the fiber of existence

who farm the fertile soil

of our lives

 I love you thee for substance

for food grew made bought

draughts of sweet tea

champagne, to celebrate

the beauty of life

the passing of life

the honor of being

among the living, the giving

(not the taking)

Of life

How, o, how, sweet Elizabeth

We love thee                         

n  22 January 2018    j.m. frase-white

Thank you E.B. Browning and Parker Stone for interrupting my teenage life, taking me to Wimpole Street

in a strange little town , on the banks of the Choptank, meeting a dog named Flush

[and a special dedication to Sondra Layton, (now Leinweber),  Elizabeth to my Robert]
Note:  the photograph is from Metro-Golden Mayer's film, starring Jennifer Jones as Elizabeth in "The Barretts of Wimpole Street", and an unnamed springer spaniel as Flush