You took away my poems.
You took away my journal entries.
You took away my writings.

But, in return, you gave me happiness.
You gave me a best friend, a lover.
You gave me someone who sees beyond my pain,
who sees strength in my weaknesses.

You took away my loneliness.
You took away my solitude.
You took away my habits.

And gave me someone to spend my time with.
You gave me new habits, good habits.
In my darkness, you gave me moonlight.

Love; you may have taken away things I dwelled in,
in my recluse, but, in return,
you have given me internal joy;
someone who picked up pieces of me,
made a collage, and calls it beautiful.