it began with words and images,
each photo gently revealing she
reveling in a life I knew naught of
beyond labels and apparent textures:
a beach in Oregon, steps in Bari,
her blatant displeasure with selfies
and I laughed and smiled
and laughed again
it was meaningful and mysterious,
but it was her eyes that captivated me
tantalizingly translucent, hints of
blue and green, as scintillating silver
stretched my imagination and
haunted my thoughts ever after
as even more I smiled
at her infinite colors
I listening grew with each new
word or phrase, each sweet anecdote
detailing light and painful darkness
in measured moments and yet
she too so swiftly in humor elating
as relating more she quite simply
and graciously sang my heart
with prescient passion
Salt Lake City 21 May 2022
