It is often that we overlook love,
not being intentionally hurtful
but rather being unappreciative
and careless with the emotion.

there are moments when you suddenly remember, though.
something happens or something is said
and there it goes:
‘this is the reason i love you’
‘sorry it’s been so long since i last told you’.

you showed me a playlist called
‘i don’t like classical musical but i like this’
and we knew every single one but never the song titles,
couldn’t name but 3 composers.

here’s why it came to me, and what i will remember:

the joy on your face as the songs went on;
the bounce on your step, i could feel you start to dance
and then you dancing.

you are beautiful and you are funny.
brother when i envy you, i envy what our parents gave you that i never received,
but what i mean to say is i love you and everything you are.

would i trade places? i don’t think so.
because at the end, it’s you and it’s me
and we are both in my room.

it’s pouring outside:
our love for this weather is what mom gave us both
and we are happy.

you have just returned from that war at the same place that was my safe haven
and we are dancing
(trying to at least, since neither of our parents gave us that).

there a step, we’re bouncing:
flailing limbs, ridiculous dance moves,
shameless shimmies, and awful pirouettes.

that one from Star Wars comes on
and we rightfully lose it
(we got that from our dad).

some symphony comes next, we lean on the wall by the windows, attempt those poses made by ballerinas.
we try and try, never getting too far.

everything its okay because we are laughing
i attempt every move I’ve seen in movies and you follow,
or the other way around.

but wait,

mother and the little one have to see this!
we go through the house
and never stop dancing.

we sail.

descend the stairs in our fluttering kick
mom doesn’t know what is happening.
an Italian opera we both inexplicably know is making us sing.

your newly deep voice resonates all over the place.
i jump and spin, you serenade mom
and our smiles are so so big.

if i had to choose my favourite photograph
this moment could be it,
because we know nothing about ballet
but i know i love you.
it’s a shame it took me an impromptu ballet recital to remember how much.

i think mom is recording on her phone.
little one just joined the show.
how i wish dad was here to see,
he would know all the songs too.

we keep going, breathless and beyond happy.
then the song ends, we gasp for air and look at each other:
‘i hope you enjoyed the show’.

we go back up:
you go into your room first,
i follow down the corridor.

let’s stop,
let’s appreciate.

instead, i go to my room and write this love letter for you.