True Love Serves Ordinary Life

With even a hint
of biochemical compatibility
you can achieve the zing
of romance
It is no extraordinary accomplishment
to
feel swept up in hours of hot sex
candlelit dinners
to enjoy the hell out of each other
in hotel rooms
on beaches and dancefloors

It is, I dare say
nothing more than ordinary
not that it isn't fun
not that it isn't worthwhile
not that it isn't necessary
it is
it is
it is all of those things
and without it, love
even the truest love, will often fall
flat on its face
tripped up by misery and boredom
stagnant waters don't lend themselves
to cleanliness

but that alone
is no cause to believe
that what you have fallen into
is love
true love always stands in the service of ordinary life
it is ritualistic
and rhythmic
and beats to the drum
of necessity met willingly
and without resentment or disregard
met
with the same degree of desire
as
the fucking you did
last night

When filling a grocery cart
with bread and cheese
smiling at each other over the produce
and laundry detergent
can be a sweet date
maybe then

When a child is in the hospital
and her
burning desire
to bake cookies
and
freeze meals for you
urges her
onto a plane and across
the country
straight into your arms
maybe then

When she is spent and weepy
no energy
for even a conversation
and you
pick up the phone to say,
"I love you,"
and then quickly hang up
so that
she feels
free to receive
with
no expectation
that she give anything
maybe then

When you had planned to go out
but
find yourselves
unable to muster the energy
so instead order in pizza
and afterwards
clean the kitchen together
in
slow motion
as
you fumble through the still
unfamiliar
cabinets and drawers
finding
homes for plates and bowls
cutlery
and frying pans
and
sponge crumbs
from
the counters
as she sweeps around your feet
and
you realize
with
startling clarity
that there is nowhere in this entire
vibrant
thrumming, alive with adventure
world
that you would rather be
yes, then

Your ordinary life becomes
a love story
of
epic proportion