2 Poem Written to Each Other at the Beginning.<BR>First, one written by my husband to me<P><BR>"Love Is"<P>LOVE IS;<BR> Sharing OUR life together,<BR> each giving and receiving.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Listening to each other and<BR> helping each other to understand and deal with<BR> OUR fears, insecurities and shortcomings.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Learning NEW concepts, growing and experiencing<BR> new adventures together.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Learning to say WE<BR> and not I or ME.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Growing closer to each other<BR> by faith and trust in GOD.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Never attempting to dominate the other,<BR> it is compromise and negotiate.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> A special gift from GOD above.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Fragile but durable,<BR> it can be but a fleeting second,<BR> or endure for a million years.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Beginning as two and becoming one.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> Trial and patience,<BR> faith and trust,<BR> in each other.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> The quickening of my heartbeat<BR> as I gaze into your beautiful face,<BR> or feel the soft tenderness of your skin,<BR> or listen to te sweet music of your voice.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> A sweet kiss from your tender lips,<BR> a sqeeze of your lovely hand,<BR> and the warmth of you next to me.<BR>LOVE Is;<BR> Sharing your ideas, opinions and feelings.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> The joy of your smile when you are happy,<BR> and the pain of your hurt when you are sad.<BR>LOVE IS;<BR> The joy of knowing that we are bound together,<BR> for the whole of OUR lives,<BR> and that we will grow, learn and mature together.<P>ALL THESE THINGS AND A MILLION MORE ARE WHAT LOVE IS.<P><BR>The second was a poem written by me to him.<P><BR>"Love Is Enough"<P>I was trapped in the darkness of pain,<BR> Trying to cope with my feelings of shame.<BR>Adrift and drowning in a sea of tears,<BR>Gave all I had for so many years.<BR> Yet it wasn't enough.<BR> Never enough.<BR>What was wrong with me?<P>Why couldn't I hold the man I loved?<BR> Why wasn't my all enough?<BR>Why did he always seek other arms?<BR>Always falling for another one's charms.<BR> I just wasn't enough.<BR> Never enough.<BR>What was wrong with me?<P>But now, I do believe in miracles,<BR> With you I've thrown away all of my shackles.<BR>You know the feeling, you had been lonely too.<BR> With you, love is enough,<BR> Always enough.<BR>That's all you want from me.<P>Now I have grown to trust again.<BR> You have also done the same.<BR>Love can be true, it can be good.<BR>Because of you, it feels like it should.<BR> Love is enough,<BR> Always enough.<BR>Enough for you and me.<P><BR>Now, a poem written by me to him about 3 months ago. (Believe it or not, I shortened it here. It ended up being more of an ode, the story of our life together.) He has not written a poem or a story in about 4 years. He says his "muse" is dead.<P><BR>"Memories, Thoughts and Hopes"<P>The light in your eyes when you looked at me.<BR>The warmth of your hand and gentle touch.<BR>The words you would say with your lips and your pen.<BR>These things left no doubt, you loved me very much.<P><BR>It came so quickly and oh, so naturally.<BR>You showed me everyday without even realizing.<BR>I knew I was blessed. I felt safe and secure.<BR>The depth of my feelings became sure, yet surprising.<P>We could share laughter, tears and quiet times.<BR>Silence was not awkward, it was peaceful and content.<BR>Even while living our separate lives, we were together.<BR>Rejoining as one could be gentle or intense, in a moment.<P>I knew you had your weaknesses, like we all do.<BR>I had my share as well, such is the lot of the humanrace.<BR>I truly did try to help you battle your demons, as you did mine.<BR>To insure you knew you were loved. You were my foundation, my base.<P>For years beyond what most couples last,<BR>We seemed to continue to grow, two-yet one.<BR>But life's misfortunes and your secret fears were taking their toll.<BR>The wearing down, the weakening had slowly begun.<P>Looking back, I can remember the coolness that crept in.<BR>I noticed the changes in your words, your looks, your touch.<BR>Though times were tough, belief was slow to surrender.<BR>I did try to reach you, confused as I was. I loved you that much.<P>I no longer felt my harbor was secure and welcoming.<BR>The man I had trusted with my life, with my heart,<BR>Was becoming a stranger, with ways and mannerisms I did not recognize.<BR>At times I felt I had to find protection from a world falling apart.<P>A woman needs to feel a special, safe and warm connection.<BR>It's those little things that enable her to give all she has inside.<BR>Those little things and tender words you once gave, were drifing away.<BR>So, I also, slowly withdrew, sometimes in frustration and pain I cried.<P>There were tears you never saw. To protect me and to protect you.<BR>I was slow to let go of the hope that my "real husband" would return.<BR>I felt you needed me but there seemed to be nothing I could do.<BR>My words and actions were never understood. My hurt and anger burned.<P>At times, I tried to ignore the fears my mind's voices were creating.<BR>Telling myself, "It's only temporary. He'll make it back through."<BR>At times, I tried to reach you through words, a look, a touch, a song.<BR>At times I gave in to depression of a deep, dark, blue.<P>So, yes, I became numb, withdrawn, went into retreat.<BR>I had no way of knowing what was truly in your mind and your heart.<BR>All I was sure of was I no longer knew the man I shared a home with,<BR>Because he would not or could not share that most important part.<P>He is still in the battle of his life. I can see the struggle daily.<BR>His demons are still my demons, and I wonder, are they winning?<BR>There are glimpses of tenderness and caring, but peeking through only briefly,<BR>But then they is gone, like sun behind clouds, its light ever dimming.<P>It was a stranger that took possession of the soul of my man.<BR>My man would never have kept his thoughts and feelings from me.<BR>He would have shared them, told me, not veiled them in false male pride.<BR>He had seen that as a child, and from that mold he had broken free.<P>My man knew, that with all we had been through in years before,<BR>I had been there for him, he just had to let me know,<BR>What was the battle, who was the enemy and what weapons were needed.<BR>He was strong and wise enough to not try and battle alone.<P>He also knew I, too, was only human, not perfect by any means.<BR>There were times I was the one in need, and he was there for me.<BR>I had no need to turn to another, even if the temptation arose.<BR>My eyes might fall on another, but my heart, only him could see.<P>My man was no god, not perfect, but he beleived in the ties that bind.<BR>He believed in fighting to keep the love fires burning.<BR>In loving his woman, through the good and the bad.<BR>In reaching out in truth till he grasped her, not to another one turning.<P>Who missed the distress signal first, failed to see need, we may never know.<BR>I know how long and how hard I tried, how many times I held my had out.<BR>My communications were never heard and your signals were unclear.<BR>For the first time, was our timing off? Is that what it was all about?<P>But I am still here, still loving my husband, wherever he might be.<BR>Look in the mirror, search your heart and soul honestly.<BR>Reclaim a stronger, yet still caring, aware and giving you.<BR>Exorcise this stranger, from this depression break free.<P>Darling, please know, I did not write this to anger or frustrate you.<BR>I love you, I care. Your battle , your confusion, it pains me to see.<BR>This stranger is keeping you from sincerely loving and accepting love.<BR>I want you happy again, I pray with me, but if not, then without me.<P>God give us strength.<BR>AFL<BR>