Valentine's Day with Monique and Sheldon

I’m many men - a Gentle man

I saw you and immediately I knew you

I remembered your scent, familiar from my dreams and your stare from a sweet memory

I held your hand and I guarded you, instinctually regarded you as my equal, my kindred spirit

I invited you to share my world because somehow I’ve always known I’d find a love like yours

I am many men - a Broken man

I can bear the pain of a million souls along the middle passage

I can take the shame of broken promises, decline letters and unemployment

I can handle the blame of being wrong, late, irresponsible and hurtful, it's true

But I'm not strong enough to live without a love like yours

I am many men - a Conscious man

I can stand strong on my own, on the shoulders of others and on the prayers of loved ones

I can shake the hands of Presidents and paupers, modern day lepers and young children

I can demand respect as a black man, from Klansman and the King's men

But I'm only half a man without a love like yours

I am many men - a Loving man

I can see our present, hopeful and eager, our future, blessed and beautiful

I can be the rock you've come to depend on as God has been to me

I am free to choose where my heart resides for I have emotionally broken free of my past

But I'm happily captive to a love like yours

I am many men – a Blessed man

I can sing like Mahalia till heaven moves at the sound of my sonnets

I can bling harder than your hottest artist, but diamonds were never needed for me to shine bright

I can place a ring on your finger, the only diamond that matters. And I will

So I can prove to you that I never want to love another day of my life, without a love like yours

Yes, I am many men yet I am No man at all, without a love like yours