The late Jerry Orbach might be best remembered for roles such as tough New York detective Lennie Briscoe on "Law & Order" or the man who tries to put Baby in a corner in Dirty Dancing, but who knew that he was such a romantic?

Over the course of their 25-year relationship, Jerry wrote love poems to his wife Elaine. Now they're compiled in 'Remember How I Love You: Love Letters From an Extraordinary Marriage.'

Jerry would leave the short-but-sweet notes next to her coffee cup so that she'd have a "good morning poem" when she woke up.

(His tough "Law & Order" shooting schedule often required him to come home when Elaine was asleep, and he'd still be sleeping when she was awake.)

When Jerry died in 2004, a family friend asked to read some of the poems at his memorial service, and that's where the idea for the book took shape. It's a collection of the notes and Elaine's memories of life with Jerry.

Elaine passed away earlier this year right after the book was completed.

Here are a few examples of Jerry's pithy poems. If they don't melt your cold, black heart, nothing will.





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