Upon waking up, my hand is empty

Severely lacking fingers in mine. 

Brushing my teeth I remember I dreamt he

Had traced my warm cheeks blushed wine. 

Dreams always crawl back in an convoluted knot

To tell me I slept just fine

Despite that absence of his slept-in warmth

The yearn exists as benign. 

While inching through classes I need for a scroll

He's technically by my side

A message away, to solace, console

I feel like an old war bride.

He leaves me at four to be gone all night

To sweat in a kitchen again. 

He hurts and he aches and his muscles are tight

My absence feels like a sin. 

And in spite of the distance, the scheduled whip

I'd be twice as miserable left without him.

For in truth, he and I are bound at the hip

A testament, a statement, a battle hymn.

We'd never walk away from the years of work

That's taken us where we belong:

By each other's side, for better or worse

For with him, I am always strong.