To The Bone

I love you to the bone
I love every piece of you
All the pieces you don't
That face you pull for strangers
The voice you assume on the phone

And I'm so glad that you let me in
You are not a prize for me to win
But with every piece we share
I'm a kid at county fair
And you are the giant teddy bear

I love you to the sea
I love you like the tidal wave
That cast me away
When it washed me back to shore
The first arms that found me were yours

And I'm so glad that you found me there
Half asleep with seaweed in my hair
The mermaid and the sailor, half a decade later
You and I were still the perfect pair

Then came rings and a house
Sixty years or thereabouts
And still, I'm searching for the perfect way to say

I love you to the earth
I love that you love Hemingway
And the first hint of May
And daffodils and oil spills
And mountains made from molehills
And I hate that I know
All that makes your garden grow
What to do with all of this once I'm alone?

I love you to the bone
I love every beat of you
Every measure and note
And so if I stand the chance
May I ask you for this dance?

Yes, I'm so glad that you found me here
And made the choice to love me all these years
Though I can't return the favour
That the mermaid lent the sailor
Oh my dear, you've been my saviour
And every second spent with you is worth the tears