Songs and Patience

They speak the language of songs and patience.

He stands outside the pizza place

watching her ravish a New York slice, patiently,

as his heartbeat secretly races.

They walk to a movie, all the way singing.

A ritualistic exchange of familiar tunes.

Two earbuds, two lovers, two entangled hands, left and right

Songs are shared like notes in middle school,

each folded into a little declarations,

each with little pieces of her heart hidden

Somewhere in between the many lyrics in the many languages they speak

Their hearts start to converse like two instruments,

responding to each other,

frequencies resonating, tension building.

A resounding chorus of trust and togetherness.

Distance and time make their love sound like a two step,

close and apart, close and apart, apart and close, apart but close.

The lover opens his heart up to his beloved,

he listens to her songs about anguish, fear, hate and pain.

Patient and tolerant, he lets her belt every note, no matter how discordant

The lover opens her heart up to her beloved,

she sings of tales that never before saw light of day

She sings of the little child within her

She sings of the fear she feels, lest the beloved leave her

The lover stays

Stays

Stays

The lover sings

Sings

Sings