The failing of language

Have you ever stopped and thought, as I do,
Of the language of men, the words of the heart?
The difficulty in describing or defining a moment
A touch, an emotion, a desire.

We stand in the rain, our faces held high
The kiss of the cool, falling drops
The warming chill, the crisp freshness of water
The cleansing of the soul

Yet we walk in the rain, our collars turned up
Our shoulders are braced to the wind
The bone-chilling cold, the marrow-deep damp
The dousing of our spirits

But are they not the same thing?
The act, in itself, is no different
Yet the moral of each tale is far removed
The same act, the opposite effect.

We kiss in the rain, hold hands in the rain,
Say goodbye in the rain, feel our pain in the rain
We feel happy, feel romance, feel our hearts swell in the rain
We feel loss, feel remorse, feel our souls crushed in the rain

I consider this often, when I think of you
And the trouble I have speaking my heart
For the language of Shakespeare, of Dickens, of Twain
Cannot come close to defining love.

So, I say it, I love you, but what does that mean?
How many truths can be in three words?
And the depth of emotion is utterly lost
And no analogy of combination of phrases can show it.

Its like saying the ocean is deep, or the blue of the sky is high
It’s true, but it’s far from the whole truth
It is lacking in context and meaning
It is an empty gesture, a hollow string of sounds

How can it be that three simple words can terrify on one day,
Yet seem so completely inadequate the next?
How can the same words be used to define the feelings of a friend
A parent, a child, a lover, a spouse?

So, I won’t say that I love you, for the rest of this work
Yet I will tell I love you throughout
I will think of the ways that you show me each day
That my life changed for the better, with you.

Does it also seem strange, when you think of our time,
That it’s measured in months and not lives?
A year ago today, I didn’t even know your name
Yet a year later, I cannot imagine life without you.

You have woven yourself into the fabric of my soul
My life has a new beacon of light
The best things about me, what it is to be me
Are, in some way, connected to you

I have never known friendship like we have
I’ve had mates, and acquaintances, never love
Unconditional support and affection
So much more than just company

There is no full hour without a thought of you
No smile greater than the one with those thoughts
You are the friend a friend would want to have
And I can’t help but profit from your example.

Sometimes I wish that was all it was
How it would be so much simpler
I would live a blessed life to just call you a friend
But my heart, ever greedy, sees more.

There’s a connection between us, I feel it.
And maybe I feel it alone
But the beauty of your soul, the kindness of your heart
It is to these that my heart is drawn

My affection for you Is boundless
No words are enough to express
The unimaginable light and joy that I feel
From just having you part of my life

I would do you no justice to speak of your beauty
Though I really must say, you are hot!
And I can picture that smile, as you read that line
And all words for that beauty fall flat

You are not simply just a good person
Goodness should be par for the course
Its your greatness that dazzles me so much
You are love in its purest form

You reach for the goodness in others
Your kindness, compassion and strength
You inspire those qualities in others
You make people want to be more

But despite this being so apparent
To everyone and anyone who looks
You are humble and modest and self-conscious
You are the only one who can’t see

I’m filled with Endless, immeasurable affection
Devotion to you in all ways
Be it as friend or as more, I swear to you now
I have never seen a match for your grace

You are my lady, my best friend, my angel
I mean that literally and emotionally both
The light of your eyes keeps the nightmares at bay
And your smile warms me more than the sun

You are the fire, the drive, and the reason
That makes me want to be more
You are the strength and resolve to be better
You are each wish, each ambition, each prayer

There are so many faces to your coin
Each one more wonderous than the last
And to insult that with words so clearly lacking
Is an insult I can’t bear to give

I love you, My Lady, I love all of you,
Every smile, every tear, every frown
Every laugh, every word, every emotion
Every night, every day, ‘til my last

You are more to me than a friend
You are family, you are love, you are dreams
You are more than my poor words can flatter
You are language failing to live up to grace

I have loved you for all of my life
I just hadn’t met you for most of it
But now that I know you, my past seems so empty
And my future has never looked so bright

You’ll know who you are when you read this
It doesn’t matter if you feel the same
I dedicate this poem and my future
To the happiness that your life should bring.

You are light, you are sunshine, you are promise
You are everything right with the world
Despite the words being so insufficient
I’ll say it again, I love you