Jan 1, 2023 - The Poem

 The poem. 

Kristi has always thrown this line at me whenever we were joking around and I was getting the best of her: "I loved you first." That ended the banter. She won. Why? Because she was right. After her prom she says to her mom, "I'm going to marry that boy." After dating steady several months, I'm with her family on a summer vacation and on the streets of Gatlinburg, she gets on one knee to ask me to marry her. I said, "Get up! People are looking at us!" She knew before I did and I admit that. 

However, there was one thing I did that sealed the deal. It wasn't how I proposed, which leaves a whole lot to be desired - another story at another time - but it was a poem. My dad was kind of known for his poems. He always titled them the same: "A Poem." Yeah, that was it. Just "A Poem." These were not ground-breaking poems by any means, not written to be turned into a love song, but more comical and dry. He would pull one out on special occassions like birthdays or signing my elementary school yearbook. I was proud a recipient of the poem writing gene. 

Kristi had received a memory book from Erwin High, not an annual or yearbook but a book that was designed for writing notes, adding pictures, ribbons from awards, and questionaire pages like favorite class, favorite teacher, best friends, etc. Well, this nut didn't fall too far from the tree. At 19 years old I thought, "that's what I need... a poem that I'll write to her in the back of her memory book." Get the wine ready, because the cheese is about to be served. Here's the poem that I wrote to her over 30 years ago that if asked to this day, we could both recite from memory.

---------‐---------------

A Poem. 

I was shy, you were loud

The happiest girl that could be

There was something there

though I didn't know what

That profoundly attracted me 

So I wandered around for a very long time

And tried to make life work out

I liked this girl and that girl 

and some girl down the block

But God had not chosen this route 

He led me to you and I failed Him

I was left in some sort of a trance

But with your understanding, 

to God be the glory

He gave me a second chance 

Kristi, I love you and I truly believe

That God has chosen this route

So when I ask,

"What would I do without you?"

I pray that I never find out

---------‐--------------- 

It worked. She loved me first but this poem, as cheesy as it was, let her know that even though I wasn't the first to fall in love between us, I would stay in love with her forever. Unfortunately, I am going to have to find out what I will do without her and that is a future I do not look forward to. But, she has left behind 2 wonderful children that have her traits, mannerisms, and facial features and also has left me with 33 years of memories that I will be able to recall and enjoy in my mind for years to come. For that, I am grateful.