Never Too Late

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He held her hand,
Fingers interlaced,
A life time lost
And yet somehow
Found.

They were but babes
When they first met,
Words forming in untrained
Mouths, but they learned
To speak in words
Unspoken.

They grew up together,
Sharing secrets and toys,
Whispers and first kisses
But along the way
Between grade school
And college, they lost
Each other in the dreams
Of others.

Still they spoke
In a language devoid
Of words, in hidden glances
And smiles that disappeared
As quickly as they appeared.

The years passed,
Then decades,
Then half a century passed
Without them saying
Hello.

Yet they knew of
Weddings and the births
Of children without
Even seeing each other.

It was death that
At last brought two friends
Together.

She had lost
A man who had
Promised her the world.

He had lost
A woman who vowed
To keep his heart safe for
As long as she lived.

"I love you,"
He said to her,
"I loved you and
Still I love you."

She closed her eyes,
Hoping to stop the tears
From falling, only to
Have them fall freely.

"Why now?
Why not then?"
She asked quietly,
Releasing the words
In one breath.

"Then I did not know
What love was.
Then, I was foolish
And ignorant.
Then, I could not
Love you the way
You should be loved."

"And now?"

"Now, I know what
Love is not.
Now, I know without
A doubt that
I love you."

She squeezed his fingers,
"I loved you, but
I don't know if
I love you," she said
Truthfully.

He withdrew his hand,
His face clouding over
With indifference, she
Could see him trying
To hide the hurt.

"I don't know if
I love you but
I am willing to see
If what I feel
For you can be,
Should be called love,"
She said with a
Twinkle in her eyes.

It is never too late
To say I love you.
It is better to start late
Than never at all.