given my history with men
and having been a mortician
when he asked to take a measuring tape
to my arms and legs
my first giggling thought was
he’s making me a coffin
but i relented without question
because
my association with him
is early release
for time served
my purest source of unconditional affection
it is as if he has pledged
the remainder of his days
to making up
for all the things i’ve been missing
he is not
my father
or husband
he is my friend
who loves me enough
to build me
a robin’s egg blue bicycle
with his bare hands