Learning To Read

Learning to read
for M


You stutter over syllables,
try to string letters together;
make sense skip from eyes
to ears. Keep on trying.

You say it's boring, annoying;
the points got lost in the practice.
And I have no words to tell you
it'll be worth it in the end.

Together, we sit up late in bed
reading poetry. You turn the page,
ask for another, eyes wide open.
I hesitate, think to ask you to read;

to strain your tongue, your brain.
I don't. It is only mechanics.
And what I want is this thirsting;
to have you begging for more.