Afterwards

it's fascinating to me

that it won't be all 

of what we're going

through now

the ever-present

waiting and longing

the doubting of

our sanity

the mountains

of ecstasies

the valleys

of silence

no, none of this

will be significant

afterwards

it will be the shared

grins and glances

the knowing just

by looking into 

each other's eyes

the touch of hands

upon lips and cheeks

and every other inch

the laughter with

our loved ones

the tears that will

fall from time to time

in all these things there

will be no difference