Nothing halfway

I stop before the finish
though he has specified
nothing halfway–
I want to push just beyond
the genteel border
where sidewalks end
and rough berms begin

like the long highway
I dreamed
he rode to me,
all dusty sinew,
always sunset

And we grew
in esteem and estimation
though there was
much bruising
and tongues lashing out
like rapiers en garde
before the fall.