WE ARE LOVERS

we are lovers
through all of our years
collected, neglected
off and on living familiar
once or twice a shared spite
coming  close to adversarial, we have
come to this place , accepting, with our eyes wide
through our shared sacrifice and many trials
for no matter how long we have left
love was a constant  companion, given or take
making something stirred; never to be shaken
from those first years, to these last, we are
like a fine wine we have aged well enough
as we look forward not back

by Michael Perry