Her Heart

Her Heart

(for Elisa)

Her heart big as the Milky Way,
   her wits quick as a cheetah,
she doesn’t brood over yesterday
   as she sips a margarita.

She can remember all the themes
   to every song she’s heard.
Like a mockingbird, her memory teams
   with tunes, plus every word.

Her eyes are brown like marimba bars,
   her hair has silver streaks,
her smile is sly as a movie star’s,
   she readily gives critiques.

But what’ll she think of this little ditty?
   Admire the ballad stanza?
Believe the rhymes to be as natty
   and spiffy as organza?

Her house is clean as the teeth of her terrier
   (she scales them herself like a pro).
No one I know is sanitarier
   (it isn’t just for show).

Her garden’s crammed with plants galore,
   each vying for her notice
as in a state of silent war,
   aspiring to be the lotus.

The aquarium fish are free and calm
   as the finches at the feeder.
All creatures deem her the county mom
   when they come each dawn to greet her.

She’s bought me clothing, lamps, a couch
   and many things of use.
At times, however, she’ll kvetch and grouch
   when her mood is on the loose.

But, all in all, she’s swell as a swan
   on a lake in south Australia.
Though she likes to fly and is often gone,
   as a friend, she’ll never fail ya!