Boring Love

Photo by Samuel McGarrigle on Unsplash

When I called you last night
I could have said I did so
just to hear your voice.

But I’m older now and the idea
of casual romanticism is
for the young men who still have

Time on their side. I was there
at one point in my life, a time
to woo countless lovers by

Writing bad poetry and knowing it
but sending it to whatever girl
smiled prettiest that day.

No, when I called you I had some
important things to discuss, things
those young lovers with their

Glazed over eyes wouldn’t understand.
Things about mortgages and
infertility and hairs slowly slipping

Into greatness. But when I said
I love you before we hung up,
it was good. Not sappy, not done

In a way that would paint scenes in
a Nicholas Sparks’ novel. Just true,
steady, sturdy, boring love.