Understanding Beauty

Wrote this a few weeks back, just to let a certain girl know how much she means to me.

I've seen some pretty amazing things in my life

I've seen a mighty thunderstorm for out over the Atlantic Ocean.

Staring in awe as Zeus hurled his luminescent bolts at the turbulent ocean

as the thunder boomed like a godly drum

I've seen the towering colosseum of the Roman Emperors 

Shining gloriously in the Italian sun

Looking with wonder at the grand arena where hundreds of ancient men of war met their end

for the delight of the greatest empire in history

I've seen the emerald hills of the Scottish Highlands

rolling mystically before me.

Gaping in fascination at the ancient, mist shrouded hills and lakes

that enkindled millenias of legends in years long past

I've seen the shining tower of Gustave Eiffel

sparkling magnificently over the city of light,

gazing wonderstruck as it shone like a Christmas light over that lauded polis

that has inspired countless other artists before me

and after all that

I thought I understood beauty

I was wrong

I didn't understand beauty until I saw you smile

and butterflies swarmed my heart

until you wrote me a poem

and it brought tears to my eyes

until you hugged me

and I felt my anxiety and self doubt melt away like ice

until we laughed and talked for hours

and both knew we could talk forever if we were allowed

until you first kissed me

and I thought I was going to faint with happiness

until you told me you were in love with me

and my heart stopped with pure joy, happiness, and love

until I met you, I thought beauty was something seen

not felt

but I was wrong

because whenever I'm with you

the only word that can describe how I feel

is beauty