Wednesday, February 13, 2008

On Silent Paws






Tonight, the eve before Valentine's Day, I salute love in its various forms. Here's a poem from our book, Florida Shorts (K McEnany Phillips et all, iUniverse 2005, available on Amazon.com)


ON SILENT PAWS
By Nancy Wayman Deutsch

Sometimes love comes softly.
Creeping down the hallway with silent tread.
You’re in the middle of something routine,
like making dinner or paying a bill.
You don’t notice love at all,
standing there, staring at you from the hall
waiting for you to turn and see it.

Why should you notice?
You thought you were alone in the house,
safe from anything unexpected.
You thought you’d locked all the doors,
that nothing could ever get in to surprise you again.
But, you were careless.
You left the back door unlatched,
and love got in.

You start when you feel it’s silken fur,
rubbing gently against your leg,
promising to be, oh, so good,
and never leave you again.
If you’ll just let it stay, this time,
and give it the home it’s always wanted.

You’ve got to make a choice.
Do you try one more time, to believe?
You’ve heard it all before,
more times than you’d like to admit.
Do you take a chance, and welcome love?
Or grabbing it by the scruff of it’s neck,
put it firmly out the door.

After all, you were fine before love came along.
You really don’t need complications
in a life you’ve so carefully crafted.
You don’t need anything to be responsible for,
to worry about, to miss.

Maybe it isn’t really love after all,
only another stray looking for temporary lodging.
A warm fire, caress, soft bed.
Until it’s gypsy soul sends it out into the night
in search of another unlocked door
to another heart.

The choice is yours.
Love will wait a little while.
But don’t wait too long.
Love is always hungry.
If you don’t take a chance, you’ll never know
if love is real or not.

So, choose,
but don’t tell me what happens.
I’d rather believe in possibilities.

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