Dear

I used to be a dear.

My mother called 

Me dear. She died.

I'm still here, still a dear.

My ex-wife called

Me dear when i was dear.

She hates me now

Not so dear to her.

I'm still here, still a dear.

You called me dear

last night and in

This new dawn's light

Again.

You are a dear 

to call me that.

I have no fear that

We're both dear

To each other.

But you're not my mother,

Nor are you that other,

So dear seems so queer

And inadequate somehow

To describe this precious

Merging of our tender souls

Oh dear, what can the matter be?

Just a word from your heart

Not assault and battery!

But you've had dears too,

And you've been dear as well

And we're sweet and we're new

And we're True and ideal 

and it doesn't ring true

To re-use the name dear 

 doesn't even come  near

To the words and the names

I've Imagined for you