to my suitie, with love

happiest birthday to the sweetest of girls
ever to have come into this big, bad world
shining your light to soothe our troubles
if only there was another, another double
to help us make sense of the crazies of life
and insist that we keep trying, despite the strife

happiest birthday to the strongest of women--
i hope that the hardships continue to mend
and the joys blossom into living artifacts
to remind you of the life you've lived in tact

happiest birthday to the biggest of hearts
whose story is a blessed art.

happiest 22nd birthday to Elizabeth