Defining Love for The One I Love

By Frederick G. Rodgers
The Portland Upside
March 2010

Watercolor by Joyce Lovro Gabriel

You have often said that the definition
of love is not to be found in any dictionary.
At last, I have found myself in total agreement
with you on that. It happens rarely, but you and
I recognize it instantly when it does.

Making the effort to define this in private and
in public word, it flies out of that cage of words
like a canary, dandelion-colored, seeing that
the door was again left open. You are correct:
love for another , if genuine, always defines--
-- or redefines itself like a clove-colored wren
abruptly chirping on a twig over to our right.


_____

Frederick has for a decade been retired from teaching English at all levels in the Portland area. His poetry has appeared in Portland Review, West Coast Review, Alchemy and Mentor.