In a Perfect World

Some time ago I mentioned that the week I first began to feel sick was during a study week on the Oregon Coast. I was fervently working on my doctoral dissertation at the time, but also had some creative juices flowing to write a few other things. One of them was a poetic piece for my wife. With her permission I share it today in hopes that it will encourage a few poetic souls out there.

IN A PERFECT WORLD

In a perfect world we would have enjoyed this sunset together.
In a perfect world my pleasure of watching it would not have been robbed by the absence of you.
In a perfect world we would always be together
and every day would close with you safely in my arms.

In a perfect world, I’d have no competition for your heart, nor you for mine.
We’d think each other brilliant and funny,
even if everyone else thought we were just foolish or silly,
it would only make us laugh louder at ourselves and love each other more.

In a perfect world, you would always understand me, and I you.
We wouldn’t get that fearful or pained look in response.
But in understanding each other we’d better understand ourselves
for to know you would be to know me, for we would be one.

In a perfect world…

The sun has now fully set and early evening gray begins to fill the skies.
But as she set I noticed that it wasn’t the sun itself that was so beautiful.
I don’t want to speak ill of her – she is truly glorious.
But the beauty of the sunset was provided by the clouds.
Mysterious. Imperceptibly but undeniably shifting.
Clouds that could bring rain or be silently dismissed by an evening breeze.
Clouds that I would not have thought of making if I had created my perfect world.

Our relationship isn’t perfect. We have our share of clouds.
But perhaps, if we get the right angle together,
We could see that they actually add the true beauty to our lives.

Like this passing day,
our lives will eventually be put to rest as well.
Had we had cloudless—“perfect”—skies,
they would not have been nearly as beautiful.

In this imperfect world, we will make a sunset together.
In this imperfect world, we will hold each other still.
In this imperfect world, we will not fear the clouds
but create a beauty that will linger long after our sun has set.

JPS
Depoe Bay, Oregon
October 24, 2008