You’ve been living for this for weeks.
Laying down at night in bed
wrapping your arms tightly
round your body
in anticipation.
Sleep evades you.
Projected images leap
before your eyes.
Technicolour bursts
flashing pictures
disturb
and excite you.
Your heart beat races.
The fragrance of lavender pervades the room
– even with your eyes tight shut.
burned on the inside of your eyelids
the reds
and purples
clash
and compliment the perfume
of his gift.
Remembering the surprise you felt
when the doorbell rang.
The crackling of the sellophane
as you clutched his flowers
against your breast.
From him?
And now
the day at last has come.
Tomorrow you will know for sure.
All that waiting and anticipating
wondering and agitating
will be no more.
You open your eyes.
All thoughts of sleep gone.
Look at the flowers by your bed.
Symbolic there,
each closed tulip like a prayer.