First Glimpse Poem by Juan Carlos De Santiago

The first time I saw my cat Mikey
was at my neighbor's house;
He wasn't my cat yet, but theirs.

When I pet him,

I had no idea he would become
a part of my family.
All I knew was
he was a cute cat.

The first time I saw my dog Mary,
her unbound energy
resonated with something in my core
That

I hadn't felt looking around
at the other dogs in the shelter,
and when I saw her eyes,
they told me to bring her home;

no need for any second guessing or goodbyes.

The first time I tried some chocolate,
Mom's perfect abuelita's in a mug,
it warmed not just my stomach but my
soul,

paired with a loving mother's hug.

Every sip etched more warmth
into the feeling of home,
and every time I miss it,
I'll brew a mug
and settle in with a blanket
and a satisfied hum.

The first time I tried pizza,
everything felt right in the world.
I had no idea how I'd lived so long
without that heavenly serenade of saucy flavor;

from that first bite, I knew
it would be a lifelong companion
as my life unfurled,
and I've been right so far;
it certainly hasn't done my spare tire any favors.

But man,
oh man.

The first time I saw you?

There aren't enough words
in the English language
to describe what I went through.
The Inuit people of Canada
speak Inuktitut, and their beautiful language
carries over 50 different words for love.

I imagine if I studied every single
variation of the word,
plus every other word for love
that exists,
I would quickly realize that they all fall short.

How absurd!

To describe what I feel,
what I've felt,
what I'll always feel for you,

if I had a thousand years
I might come close,
though if I had a thousand years,
I'd just spend them all with you.

To say the heavens opened up
and focused their light on you,
and that the stars aligned,
drawing a path from me to you,

and that Fate and Fortune
conspired to make it all come true,
well,
that would be an understatement too.

To say that when we met,
a spark flew from you
and settled in my core,
multiplying my flame by two,

well,
that would be mistaken,

because now I realize that my flame
is just the other half of you.

To say
that your first word
cast a spell,
binding my heart to you,
and that every time you part your lips just serves
to charm me too,

well,
that would be incomplete,

because your presence itself
is magic,
understood by just a few.

And if I said
that every time I say I love you,
I find new meanings in the words;
you just wouldn't believe
and might call it naive
to hear how much it's grown
Completely undeterred,

since every beat of my heart grows my feelings for you.


If I told you
that my heart dances to your rhythm?
Well, the truth is
it's puppeteered by your every whim.

A dance of passion entwined,
every step as though pre-aligned,
matching each other as if in a rhyme,
yet as though stuck frozen in time,
Because

Ever
Since
we started,
you've stolen all my moments.

A sweet thief in the night,
that although steals my minutes,
replaces all my remnant torments
and laments with good omens.

If I said you are
my everything,
well, that just might
come close,

because at first sight,
you redefined my story;
since then you've only added
rhythm to my prose.

Had Fate and Fortune
not conspired,
I'd not be half the man I am,

still rolling in the mud,
an empty shell of flesh and blood;
Now, your spark… ignited spirit… which guides this lost lamb.

Had your magic not enchanted,
I'd still be firmly planted,
rooted muted in my solitude,

dull and lifeless, panted, yet to come alive.
Now every charm you speak is my life's music completely unique.

If I never said I love you?

I'd still not know the meaning of the word,
since the meaning is only true
when I'm talking about you;

Now not a single day passes with an 'I love you' left unheard.
And every single one surpasses the meaning of the word.

Since you froze my heart
and moments
the instant that you walked in,
I stopped letting time slip by,
passing sly misdirected;

Now every moment's priceless,
another opportunity to love you.