i will keep you

I won’t hide my face,
tear-stained and sticky.
I won’t cover my heart as it
bulges and breaks.
I won’t disguise the slump of my shoulders,
the lines around my eyes,
the sigh in my breathing.
I won’t pretend that I am not here
                                                                   without you.
 
But I will
allow the corners of my mouth
to curve upward.
I’ll allow the galloping sound of a laugh
to escape through my lips.
I’ll let it run away
through the air, with it’s mane waving.
I will let your name settle on my tongue
perfectly composed
and crisp.
I’ll speak about you
             beyond the sadness,
with fondness and sparkle.
I’ll let my eyes brighten
and my heart soften.
 
I’ll keep your memory -
the picture of your spirit,
the joyful purpose of your short life.
I’ll make sure you are known -  
People will recognize
that you are more than just
the sadness of your death.
 
You are the sparks that re-lit my hope.
You are the kiss in the wind
that reminds me to have faith.
You are the soft song cradled
in the crook of my ear
humming
about the power of love to evade
the bounds of time or death or space.
 
You are mine, now and always. 

****
​By: Tiffany Kann