Happy Birthday, Catherine

To cherish you, Catherine,
completely to cherish you,
takes twenty five million years,
longer than I can live.
You have lived twelve thousand
seven hundred and seventy five days,
not counting this birthday one.
A mere second in the soul time
allotted you.
But twenty five million years
will do today
until we cross that bridge,
and greet the eternity
that Providence provides,
not too long a time for you to live
and be forever loved.