I could gaze at you for hours and never tire

Of the expressions that flit across your face.

One moment a look of wonderment,

At what I do not know.

One moment a lazy smile

At some inner joke I am not yet privy to.

I knew that I would love you

But I never imagined that my heart would be open

To loving this much.

I find myself doing things that I swore were not possible

For no reason other than to keep your tears from falling.

My soul hurts when you cry,

And I am tempted to cry along with you.

Me, who has always viewed tears as a sign of weakness.

Me, who has always doubted my own capacity to care.

The demons that possess me,

Although not completely lulled to sleep,

Have at least declared an easy truce:

They have sworn to protect you with all the force of their fury,

Should it ever come to that.

That my life has changed is obvious.

There is so much more to do…

So much more to think about…

And yet I walk around with a smile on my face.

I rush home because you are there,

And the thought of you is enough to wash away

All the stresses of my day.

The sight of you is enough to make me believe

That there is still good in the world.

Being with you is enough to convince me

That there is nowhere else I would rather be

Than right here with you asleep in my arms.

You give me a purpose that I never had before,

A reason to do all I can to make myself better

Because I know that you need me…

Because I need to be there for you…

Because I swear with all that exists within me

That I will be right there by your side for the rest of my days,

However long that may be.