to edward

[sohonestly]

you've given Just- so much, but you've taken more: the ladys,
the babys and hands; the boys, the sun and rain
and Spring,
               all flowers, all promises, all souls,
                              all words sweet-soft and whispered
--life,
        death,
                 beauty,
                           and(

Love,

you've left your mark but you've taken them too
                                                                          and left them out:
                                 the parentheses (so perfectly, notyours but you took them),
                                 the spaces, the commas, again,bothtakenand
                                                                          given(hardly,,
forced, shoved upon me, still

i want them,
and i want you (and all you
give i take
and all you take i want)to be
still, here,
and(if you would) living
                               in my mouth