the days go by in pleasant routine
only occasional disturbances
     with grandkids  unexpected visitors
     the mailman ringing at the door
          because the letter would not fit the box
     the neighbor asking for a favor gladly granted
     someone who wants to sell some things

the days go by
      preparing meals  go shopping
      splitting the firewood
      running the wash
      checking the email
      go swimming and do AquaFit
      occasionally have a lunch with friends

the days go by

and I occasionally wonder
about the undesired goal of passing all that time
as days go by

the Leukocytes, white blood cells, mass for attack,
shock and awe is the plan,
find, incinerate the
splinter inside me

but when at the GPS coordinates inside the heart’s marrow,
all is quiet functioning and no contamination source uncovered

the alert false, the Hawaii of my body is still standing

wrong

the absence of love is an invisible infection that can be
heard (groaning), tasted (raw horseradish),
touched (wet cheeks), smelled (perfumed hope in secret spots)

but cannot be seen and therefore, thereof, destroyed,
so toxic, it can eradicate the fleshy soul, and no
phoenix resurrection possible for you cannot erase
what never was

or can you?

the splinter of losing hope is so real it is unreal
except only you know where it’s hid,
and the false alarms are your revelatory reminders,
you need*

to believe in onlylovepoetry