Love

You always longed for it, and here it is -

reward for all the good things
you put out into the world -
beautiful children, tenderly raised,
floors scrubbed clean, smiles through the tears,
shouldering your load and some one else's as well,
uncomplaining through the daily drudge, year after year.
Being kind to people who screw you over
every chance they get -
lie to your face.

They say what you put out there
comes back to you eventually,
they don't tell you
the slow shadow of bruising
it will raise on your skin.