What You Love

Count up for me please
The things that you love.
Is it the smell of other people's houses,
Or the smell of your own
When you go back home?
Is it the whispers that swim out
Of a second-hand book?
The shine of an LP
Scores of frost,
A first-hand look,
The taste of granulated sugar
Or someone else,
Playing cards,
Polaroids,
Pin badges, buttons, bells.
Is it new carpet?
Victoria sponge,
New pictures hung
Old pictures found,
The crush of ice cubes,
Old territory, new ground.
Getting lost,
Only to be found.
Is it a compliment
Making blooms of a blush,
A bustle of backpacks
Or a library hush.
A bowlful of marbles,
Paper stars,
Paper anything,
Light on glass.
A turn of phrase,
A typewriter clank
The perfume or headline,
That gin that we drank.
Count up for me please
The things that you love,
And we'll make them into a list,
Just like this.