beloved

It's your birthday today and I wish
I wrote you a play or
something - but I wasn't able to
because of this and that -
so I hope you're okay with
the little gifts your daughter
and I got you (though we argued
bitterly over who got to plug
your new printer in - but we
resolved it like the old friends
that we are)

You should know how much
we love you (we know
that one of us is just learning language,
and the other one gets taciturn);
how much you mean to us
(beyond food and companionship -
like bouncing up and down on
the bed or watching you paint
your toes).

Over dinner tonight
at that place you like
(let them see people in love
and tremble at their own lack)
let me tell you again
and again how much
i love you

Then let's
be

naughty.