by the time i get back home
the trees and grass will have leaves
the sun will set more directly in the west
days will be long
and nights will be warm
flesh will be exposed
where winter caused it to be covered
legs will burst out of shorts
sleeveless shirts will ripple
with toned upper torsos
streets and stoops will fill with people
parks will teem
and much of life will move outdoors
by the time i get back home
i’ll have worked in london
played in paris
lived in other worlds
made new friends
and discoveries
seen sights long dreamed of
revisited some long missed
experienced different cultures
customs
languages
and vocabularies
fumbled foreign change
asked stupid questions
talked and laughed too loudly
like most americans abroad
by the time i get back home
i’ll have ached from missing you
felt loneliness forgotten
in our long-shared life
reached out to hold you in the night
longed for your smile and wit
the certainty you’ll make me laugh
in some surprising way
i’ll have pined for
days and night and days together
dinners, plays and films
problems to be addressed
small triumphs to be celebrated
all now on hold
or told by phone or e-mail
and i will have known
such anticipation
to see and hold you
cover you with kisses
inhale your sweet aroma
devour you with joy
and i’ll have realized
once more
how much my world is you
by the time i’ve traveled far
by the time i get back home