Perfect

​My animals misbehave
The cat goes on a rampage
A chicken pecks me because I didn’t give her worms
I am not raising animal children
 
My husband touches cupboard doors with sticky fingers
And leaves dirty marks
He doesn’t see them
I clean them up
 
He’s often late
He doesn’t consult a watch
The passage of time is meaningless
When he’s doing something else
 
He’s messy
He doesn’t make the bed
He doesn’t tell my I’m pretty
Or compliment my cooking
 
But he notices when my car is dirty
And washes it
And vacuums it
And doesn’t say anything
 
He notices my gas tank is nearly empty and fills it
With the kind of gas my car likes
When he could be doing other things
And doesn’t say anything
 
He cuts roses and lavender and other blooms when he is puttering in the garden
And brings them inside
And puts them in a vase
And doesn’t say anything
 
He puts cards on my desk or on the kitchen counter
A countdown
In advance of events
And doesn’t say anything
 
He buys me earrings because he knows I like them
He hid a diamond ring in the Christmas tree
And waited for me to find it
And didn’t say anything
 
He does so many things for so many people
And doesn’t think of himself
Because he wants to give
So he doesn’t say anything
 
He’s messy
He’s late
He’s thoughtful
He’s perfect