You said the L word

I knew that it was coming,
Like a great wave on the horizon;
I had tried to practice how I would reply,
You said three words of trepidation with a glistening in your eyes.

I moved my lips to respond,
But somehow could only grunt out a mumble;
We stared at each other, two silent characters in a Greek tragedy,
Oh, how I wished I could escape this calamity!

You said the L word,
Since my divorce, my greatest fear;
You knew I was terrified of that word,
I great, disastrous force; a harbinger of the absurd.

After long moments, you wrapped your arms around me and weeped,
I nearly collapsed from tension;
But in the warmth and sincerity of your embrace,
I found joyous truth in that place.

A man does not say those words,
It is the uttering of nonsense;
Maybe I am a fool, but I knew that it was due,
Wetting your shoulder, I whispered close to your ear, I love you too.