Sunny

 When I met you, you were day-sleeping in somebody else's car

and running around scrapping all night.

With your shaggy hair and that roll of your shoulders,

you made me jelly-kneed right from the start.

Sunny, you kept your loneliness hidden from your running buddies,

your feet on the ground and your eyes on the stars in the Texas night.

I kept you coming back by feeding you, like some Italian mother

with a full pantry and a real bad crush. Come onna my house, birichino. 

You had nothing, expected nothing, and were fearless, so fearless,

but when I fussed over some new cut you turned boneless as butter.

When I drank you turned to a rumor, gone like smoke, hating the stuff

yourself, and somehow above it. You made me want to kick loose of it, like you.

How did I charm you into staying, my gorgeous one? 

How did we teach other what love was, with your silence and my words?

Til the day I die I know my heart is full of you, and all that you gave me.

I held you in my arms as you gasped and ran free, in the black hour of your end.

Oh, I learned to care again, about life, about myself, about it all,

but it took a long terrible while. and it was the hardest thing I have ever done.

Girls always fell for you like autumn leaves, light as sighs, stars of a moment.

I know how lucky I was to be the one you gave your heart to. 

It's been thirty-two years and I still say your name and picture your face

every day. Even the angels won't be able to tame you--I won't let them.

Wait for me. When my hours are over I will find you. I will come running.

_____