For Marissa

Today is my beloved wife's birthday.  On Saturday night we celebrated with family and friends.  Our party culminated with a bonfire in our newly installed firepit in the backyard.  Here is a poem I wrote but didn't have a chance to read on the occasion.

Love alone has 

Never ruled the world

But tonight it seems

Ever more preponderant

Triumphant in a single glance

Of your face in the firelight

Luminous and inspiring

So poetry begins and ends

Bracketing a decade

Of conjunctive bliss

With the simple truth

Of our bond forged

In love's flame

Overleaping

Mere words as

Our separate

Life strands 

Are forever

Annealed as one

Ten years ago - on Marissa's last milestone birthday - I also wrote her a poem (which you can read here).  That was one of the first complete poems I wrote.  This one feels like it may be the last, at least for now.  In the ten year interval I've had a chance to write more than 500 poems, most of which you can read here on my blog.  The truth of the matter is that without the example and inspiration of Marissa's artistry I likely never would have tried my hand at writing poetry, so it seems only appropriate, however belatedly, to dedicate this collection, as it begins and ends, with all my love for her.

This photo is a birthday selfie Marissa took in her studio.  As she explains it: "I took this selfie , sans makeup, to show what 60 looks like, and what I am thinking about these days. Not to get compliments on how well or badly I look, just to put it out there, as a statement saying I will not hide what I look like or what I do because of my age."  More and more I realize that an essential part of the artist's gift is to be able see and present beauty without adornment or disguise.