Her hair used to swirl about her small frame
Like a creature with a life of its own,
A shadow that highlighted and
Underlined her every step, every gesture,  
And now it's gone, and the lines of her face
Seem younger, its angles softened into curves—

Something else has grown in place
Of the tresses she used to own,
Something that makes her seem older;
A certain grace in the way she
Moves and speaks, an assured sensibility,
And sensitivity; her hands stronger,
Pulling you from crevasses of your own
Creation, just as her arms are warmer,
And give you hugs so tight that it seems like
She's trying to keep you from falling apart—

And there's the love burning through
To the surface like fire, glowing underneath
Her skin, a love that forgives and
Forgives and forgives, but never
Runs out of heat, love worth
Fighting for,
Love like
The sun
At
E v e r y
Dawn.