I love the way your face lights up
when I go to the supermarket for milk
and come back with a bottle of red wine
and two Kinder Eggs
and I love the way you apologise
without actually saying anything
instead you’ll bake flapjack
or leave the door open when you’re having a bath
and it’s just your way of saying sorry
for spilling coffee on the carpet
for not posting the letter you said you’d post
or for leaving the immersion heater on all night.
And I love the way your face looks when you’re concentrating
when we’re sat on the settee and your playing Braintraining
on Nintendo DS
and I love the way you roll your eyes
when you know that I’m not paying attention
when you’re telling me about your day
but I’m trying to listen to Factoids
on Steve Wright in the Afternoon.
And I’ve seen the way your face drops
when it starts to rain
or when you hear on the radio someone you like has died
like Heath Ledger
or Tony Hart
or when you’re on the phone to your brother
and your face drops
because you wish there was more you could do to help him.
And I love the way your face goes red
when I gave you a silver necklace
and you found out it cost a months wages
and you said ‘you shouldn’t be wasting your money’
but were thinking
‘that’s pretty fucking cool.’
And I love the way your face freezes
like the portrait of The Scream
when you panic that you left your purse on the bus
and when you realise you forgot a friend’s birthday
and have to rush to Accesorize
to buy a novelty photo frame.
And I knew that what we had was special
when I woke you at 4 in the morning to say
‘Look at the beautiful sunrise’
and you told me to shut up and go to sleep
and I realised I didn’t have to try so hard anymore.
And I love the way sometimes your face lights up
when I walk into a room
and how I imagine your face lights up
when I’ve been away and phone to say I’ll be home soon.