A Poem for a Thursday #203

Jack Ridl is an American poet and a retired professor of English. The website, Brilliant Books, describes his poetry this way.

Jack Ridl shares lines of well-earned wisdom in the face of a constantly changing world. The familiar comforts of life–a warm fire in winter, a lush garden in summer–become the settings for transcendent and universal truths in these poems, as moments of grief, sadness, and melancholy trigger a deeper appreciation for small but important joys.

Assume it's in the kitchen,
under the couch, high
in the pine tree out back,
behind the paint cans
in the garage. Don't try
proving your love
is bigger than the Grand
Canyon, the Milky Way,
the urban sprawl of L.A.
Take it for granted. Take it
out with the garbage. Bring
it in with the takeout. Take
it for a walk with the dog.
Wake it every day, say,
"Good morning," Then
make the coffee. Warm
the cups. Don't expect much
of the day. Be glad when
 you make it back to bed.
Be glad he threw out that 
box of old hats. Be glad
she leaves her shoes
in the hall. Snow will
come. Spring will show up.
Summer will be humid. 
The leaves will fall
in the fall. That's more 
than you need. We can 
love anybody, even
everybody. But you 
can love the silence,
sighing and saying to 
yourself, "That's her."
"That's him." Then to
each other, "I know!
Let's go out for breakfast!

Take Love for Granted
Jack Ridl