Covenant

I twist the tungsten band on my finger

As she puts the bandage on his scraped knee

I smile; she sees

She kisses the crown of his head

His tangled hair brushes away tears

And she holds him, rocking and

Humming gently a soothing hymn

He struggles free, runs back to his toys

I stand, extend my hand, help her up

She smiles, holds my hand

And twists the tungsten band.

Fifteen years ago, and I made this promise

That in good times and bad

For richer or poorer

Sickness and health

That I would be by her side

And things have been bad

Sometimes her fault, often mine

But a covenant is a rare thing

A promise on her end, another on mine

That no matter how rough it gets

She will hold me up

No matter how angry I get

I will always come home

In a world where every promise

Is a broken one

A rare thing is a promise that will last

A covenant that won’t bend or change

A tungsten band that won’t break

She smiles, washes her hands

And pulls dinner from the fridge.

I sit, watch, appreciate

From the next room, sounds

Of childhood laughter and play echo

In a house supported by

Years of struggle and mutual respect

With a family built by

Patience, compromise, and love

As she peels the potatoes over the sink

She sees me looking at her

I smile; she sees. She knows.

That this tungsten band I spin on my hand

Is a covenant I will cherish eternally