Once a Year.

Kiss me on my birthday
[when there's no one else around]
It'll really make my evening.
It would turn me upside down.

Explode my birthday cake indoors
with a million fireworks
It would be exciting! and
don't worry, I'm insured.

Light the bloody house ablaze!
With magic dancing champagne
confetti and music!
This is no game
but serious celebration.
I wasn't born yesterday
but twenty-one years ago.

'But' you say, 'the neighbors and others will fuss.
They don't understand the likes of us.'
Solution: Close the blinds,
they've no need to look.
We've left them in the dust long ago
perhaps they're born to rust.

I'll kiss you on my birthday
though I'm still not quite sure why.
It's no national holiday
New Year's or the fourth day of July.
Perhaps I think I like you--

You above all people
should know that I'm no fun
when I'm not surrounded
by all of you I care for,
by everyone
who's ever been
there for me in some way.

For you I'll call them all up, too
when it's the special day
that we love on your existence
as much as we're able to tell you
and as much as our words can say.