at first
she had a room
inside my mind
cozy
lined with books
two bean bags
where we would sit and chat
before the fire

soon
it was a wing
dedicated
to her smile

before i knew it
the main hall
had been replaced
and every time
i stepped inside
myself
she greeted me

each door i opened
was a new room
dedicated
to each facet
of her

her beauty
her brilliance
her grace
her love
her humor

and other
less romantic notions
that carry a fire
of their own

now my mind
is a museum of her
each space
dedicated
to the light she shines
the joy she brings
the love
that fills me

it took
a renovation
to exorcise the demons
making a formerly
haunted house
into a cathedral
of stained glass
emotion