Member Poem

I Cannot Promise You
By Jennifer Truong Bailey

I cannot promise you

certainty in the fate

of our futures,

That we will never take a misstep,

That we will never get lost

in our journey together

through hard, meandering forests

that block our sight ahead

and wind our paths into circles,

That we will never

argue about the small transient issues

that pass away like the spring,

like who will wash or dry the dishes,

or who will get the groceries,

That we will never

argue about the greater lasting ones

that weigh heavy in our minds with time,

like when to foster and feed hopes of our children,

when to restrain them,

or each other,

from foolishness.

I cannot promise you

that I will not worsen

in health or state,

That I will not fade and drift quick from life,

like the cherry blossoms,

That our lives will be long, straight and steady

like the still longevity of the trees

those blossoms sprout and splash their

vibrantly short lives from.

But however, this is my vow to you,

our faith for the other

will be more solid than the ground

those blossoms fall down upon,

Our efforts to be open and share our minds and hearts

will pour more surely than the rain

the trees drink growth from,

Our lives will be bound and gnarled with love,

that we will not be stopped by

the trivial trials of Nature, or our natures,

Just as you cannot stop the sun

from feeding life into the world

simply by its bright being.

Our lives will shine with love for each other,

that we will be each other’s compass

each day, each month, each year,

to guide each other home.