Love is not Romance

Romance is a construct of extravagance  and affection 
But love,  is the act of devotion , commitment  and protection 
The difference though massive 
Often becomes  confused 
Lovers become passive 
“Polite” “quaint” “amused”

Love is not nodding,  agreeing yet disagreeing inside 
Love is not hating how he speaks to you at night 
Love is not sitting head in hands 
Hating yourself for falling in love with another man 

Love is powerful , stronger than we can fathom 
More than me, you or anyone could even imagine 

I lost the one I loved today 
And I gained the one I love 
30 years we spent together binded by this hate 
A month prior I found my soul mate 

One day turned in to two 
Then three then four than five 
He placed his hand against my heart 
Said “ I’ll keep  this for my life time “ 

He smiled at me gently 
His eyes lightened too 
He pulled me in towards him 
And whispered 
“I love you “ 

Those three words captured me 
I was under his spell 
Beneath our  tree I lay with him
The stories I do tell 

I talk about our lives  together 
What they could have been 
I cry about the years we had together 
And that it was with you not him  

As I wipe the tears from my face 
And slowly say goodbye 
“I will love you forever “
I didn’t have to lie.