All my life I have loved more than one thing

“All my life I have loved more than one thing……”
Mary Oliver

I have loved the quiet breath of anticipation
just before the sunrise tips the horizon in gold
and I have loved the tapestry of brilliant
colors enfolding day into night

and I have loved the silence of a forest path
with its gossamer of web and wing
and boisterous laughter
around a dinner table

I have loved the holy shine on a new-born’s
face when he comes to light
and the tender curls on the back of a neck
of a stranger seated in front of me

I have loved loud rock’n’roll and the brash throb
of its heart-beat urging me to dance
and the soft melodies of Andrea Bocelli
singing in a language I can not translate

I love a friend’s listening ear without
offering me judgment or advice
and I love the harsh voice of truth
telling me I need to think again

and I love stories and the feel of a book
in my hands and I love casting
twigs into the fire, empty and serene,
while the stars mark the miles to eternity

I have loved the fragrance of gardenias
and the sound of waves hitting the beach
and the taste of crusty bread dipped into
freshly pressed olive oil and salt

I have loved the touch of a masseuse’s
wisdom and the crushing weight of a love
I yearn for even though I know
it will break my heart

I have loved places where I laid down
into deep sleep, beaches or meadows,
and I have loved being awakened from
a dream by the sound of my own name