he hears the engine 
of our son’s car as it arrives
i hear nothing, every.single.time

i know the lyrics of songs i’ve
never consciously even heard 
while walking through a store

and my selected music refreshes 
and feeds my soul like parched soil
now blessed with frequent rain

he cannot hold a tune
but loves tuning a motor until it sings
and knows sight unseen 
what kind of engine drove past

(i don’t even understand
how an engine works)

we are different, yes
but are also the same
both with our own melodies
that beckon our ear

and our relationship involves 
choosing to value differences 
like these

celebrating the uniqueness 
of our beloved, even the things
we do not understand 

supporting each other’s passions
not because we are naturally 
necessarily interested—but 
because we are very interested 
in the individual that holds them

------------------------

Our list of differences goes on and on but what makes us work is embracing each other’s uniqueness and the things we both bring to our life together that would not exist without the other!

heather pound 2025

Photo by Roselyn Tirado on Unsplash