I Save My Love

 

I save my love for what stays.....

the way my room feels on a rainy day:

comfortable, cozy, peaceful. Safe.

My great-granddaughter's sweet smile,

her hands waving, side-side, side-side,

like the Queen, saying "Bye-Bye"

for the first time; her mother's delight.

The light blue eyes of my wolf-dog friend,

my love going with him to bless him

on his way, him 
taking up residence in my heart
along with my other lost wolfy loves.

The memory of a lover, below in the driveway,

looking up at me on the porch under a spring moon.

"Je t'aime", he said, but it was all a performance,

him playing lead in his own bad movie.

Me leaving after the first disappointing act.

I save my love for what is real.

I save my love for Mother Earth

and all of her non-human creatures:

the ancient forest and its residents,

the endless waves, the humped backs

of the mountains hugging the harbour,

for whales and wolves, herons and ravens,

for owls, for deer on their delicate feet,

fawns trembling at their mothers' sides.

I save my love for beauty, for kindness,

for people longing for a better dream

than the one we are presently dreaming.

Yet "Wake up!" the universe is crying:

"Spend every bit of love you have,

give it away with both hands. So many

have need of all that you can offer."
I take my love and apply it
like a poultice 
everywhere it hurts.
And it hurts everywhere.

Inspired by "I Save My Love" by Marjorie Saiser of the Wild Writing family. The italicized lines are hers.