Yesterday was your birthday,
And now I realize it was a holy day for me.
I didn’t do anything. I worked. I bought
Breakfast and lunch. I calmly thought,
With highest, secret pleasure, about you;
How strange to think that’s what I do:
To think all day, every day, about you.
But yesterday was your birthday,
And I believe it is a holy day—
Because I noted the day in my head,
And for no other reason. Your existence
Gives existence to mine. “Our love is dead,”
As they say, when two lovers break up; sure,
That happened. We don’t speak anymore.
In fact, I’m not allowed to speak to you.
And that makes it sweeter. I’m free.
To love without speaking, in secret poetry,
In sweet (or bitter) thoughts, I trace
All that happened: your beautiful face
Kissing mine. What else happened? I don’t know.
I was happy yesterday. My lunch was good. The train was a little slow.