A Poet"s Word

    A Poet's Word

I give you my word,
for that is all I truly possess.

I will not lie to you, sugar-coat
the truth or even make up stories

about what is going on or
even the extent to which 

any of the made up stuff
​(for it is all made up)really

matters.  I will provide you
with news from the other side,

where once a surgeon, by scalpel's
creed, opened my heart- remembering

to leave the door open just a smidgen.
I smile at the knowledge that my word

I give you was born in the blood of a life
being saved, which I only now realize

was a precious moment allowed for
the very lucky.  My word I give you

today is that love is the only thing
for which a life is worth living or dying.

When the veil thins years down this road,
and the final impediment to the other side

is at last removed, I give you my poet's word,
that I will do my best to answer love's final question-

​with a resounding YES.