Shapes Matter
A lovely face does not a relationship make.
But, in the equation of weighing whether
to remain a couple or separate,
there are some shapes that matter.
For example, there are
the shapes his mouth makes
when he says my name.
The soft arch his hand makes
when it covers mine at a dinner table.
The twist of my arm with his
as we watch movies together.
The bend of his arm wrapped
warmly around my waist
drawing me affectionately to him
as we walk wherever.
The way his eyes almost close
when he laughs out loud with me.
The sturdiness of his squared shoulder
when I need one to lean on
is a great gift in deed. And then
there’s my favorite, the way his smile
forms a mesmerizing crescent when
he appreciates some little extra thing
I’ve done.
These are the shapes that matter to me
the ones that entreat me
to stay and work in a relationship
instead of walking away from it.
©2009 Shari Lynne Smothers
Prompt: Write a poem involving shape (or multiple shapes). You can make the shape the title of your poem, or you can work the shapes into the actual poem in some way. For Day 27 of the 2009 November PAD Chapbook Challenge, from Poetic Asides
