The Kind of Wife I Want

I want a wife who will walk with me through rain---
No metaphor is being made there, but to find pleasure
In the freedom of going out into a rainy day, 
Where there is no thunder, and get soaking wet
Through the raincoat.

I want a wife who will, in that perfect day in June,
Look for a Mayapple to bite, and pull the string
Out of the honeysuckle, and eat the little drop of nectar
And will eat mulberries over blackberries
And will seek out the wild strawberry and raspberry.

I want a wife who will have long talks about poetry
And philosophy, and religion, and science, and math
And art, and psychology, and sociology,
And gardening, and nature, and friendship won
Over the deep stuff... not the small talk.

I want a wife, who will play games with me
Whether it be Scrabble, or Chess, or Magic the Gathering
Or Pinochle, or Cribbage, or Rummy or Catan, or Risk
Or we will tell stories to each other, and daydream
Together of worlds far away.

I want a wife who makes love, and time for love
And wants me by her side at all hours:
She doesn't tire of me, and she doesn't talk down to me
And she doesn't baby me, or avoid me.
She is affectionate, and when I embrace her, she does not shrink back.

I want a wife who does these things,
And maybe I will climb the birch tree and fall down with it.
And maybe I will hook the horse up to plough
And maybe I will get strong and mighty
For I love her more than I love myself.

For that is what we all need, is a person we love more than ourselves.