I should have liked to have been invited to my own party,
to have walked among you, my friends.
I invite you now to celebrate in my stead.

I should have liked to have been showered with a thousand kisses,
but I only dreamed of your lips.
Kiss now those golden shores to which you make your way.

I should have liked to have been bestowed with baskets of roses.
Still, the skies parted in my dream:
the world was born, everything coming up roses.

I should have liked to have received some thank you for being here,
nod of acknowledgement for love's
labor. I welcome you with joy. It matters not.

I should have liked for the message to have been received in time --
for it to have been my time, our
time just one time. For all time, I will share my love.

I should have liked to have given more and received more in kind.
I open my heart to receive
now this gift, divided, multiplied, blessed, broken.