I saw you smile the other day

For Krystal on her 41th birthday

I saw you smile the other day. 
It was just another, “another day.” 
And this time, like always,
The smile made me pray: 
Thank you God. 

It was like a theatrical play,  
And I was in the stalls on Broadway 
Watching a master of style and grace
Sing until the curtain fell, “hurray hurray!” 
And I in a similar way
Fell, in love again, at this display. 
My heart now falling, as if a ray 
Of light caught me—me who was astray—
In the dark and me repaid
(in some mysteriously wonderfully gracious way)
With charm and play.
The lady you, who, if I may say,
Makes me melt, melt, and melt away,
Until I, so smitten, laid
On the ground of the stage
My heart.

And so I, with the crowd that day, made
Our desire loud: “encore, encore!” And they,
Stunned that the smile was directed my way, 
Bowed to I, a man of unimpressive clay, 
Not celestial, as you were that day, 
And are everyday, my love.


            —joey shaw