Love Poem: See You Tomorrow - Both Audio and Text
Mark Stellinga Avatar
Written by: Mark Stellinga

See You Tomorrow - Both Audio and Text

Having been tortured by “pretty please” looks - which she knows I can never refuse -
Me and my Labrador left for the park, for a walk that I knew we could use.

Our park isn’t big, so it’s quiet and safe, but to make our adventure worthwhile, 
We’d walk it off crisscross - then circle it twice - which added up close to a mile.

Entries are found at the sides and the corners, and meet in the center, of course,
Where stands a bronze soldier.   One hand holds a rifle - the other - the reins of his horse.

Many a time I had walked passed that statue, but never while someone was there.
That day, with her hand on the young soldier’s cheek, was a woman with fine silver hair.

“See you tomorrow,” she tenderly whispered, then lowered her eyes to the ground. 
Almost ashamed to have heard what she’d said, we left without making a sound.

Making assumptions concerning her comment, we quietly continued our walk. 
What I decided was: Every so often - she comes to the statue - to talk!

Affirming her love for the man she had married…but tragically died in the war.
I kept glancing back, ‘til - because of the statue itself - I could see her no more.

Five minutes later, approaching the statue again, I discovered she’d left. 
Keen to consider a second opinion -- suspecting the woman bereft --

I would consult a respectable couple who’d been at the edge of the lawn -
Close to the bronze - between when the woman was present and when she had gone.

“Who do you figure that old woman was?” I asked them to venture a guess.
“I don’t suppose she’d have said what she did to that handsome young soldier, unless,

“A love - like but few of us ever enjoy was a part of their lives in the past,
And somehow her mem’ry is kindled by talking with what, out of bronze, has been cast.”

“We have been sitting here, sir, for an hour,” the man I had queried replied, 
“And I would assert that the statue was put there to honor some “local’ that died

“Fighting for freedom a long time ago, but, honestly…I don’t recall 
Noticing anyone talk to the soldier…..or - seeing a woman at all!”

A bit disconcerted by what he had told me, I thanked him and went on my way. 
Had only I seen the woman and heard her converse with the figure that day?

Needing to know if I’d heard what I thought - and seen what I thought I had seen -
Me and my Lab…on the very next evening…precisely at seven-fifteen…

Stood in the center, the same as before, expecting to see her again,
Both of us sure that we’d find her there keeping her promise to visit her man.

Guessing the time that she spent at the statue was part of a daily routine, 
I had to wonder what no one appearing to visit could possibly mean.

Certain she’d promised him, “See you tomorrow,” and feeling she’d never have lied,
I was concerned that the woman was desperate, and, by her own doing, had died…

When, there - in the bronze - I would see my reflection…and there - in my eyes - through my tears -
Filling my soul with incredible gladness…this glorious vision appears!

Seeing the two of them strolling along…her hair now a glimmering gold…
And him with the smile that had captured her heart…both around twenty years old…

I left the park with a grin on my face that defied what, at first, I’d thought wrong… 
Tickled that each of them fin’ly had gotten - for what they had waited so long!


   BTW: I plan to post many of my AUDIO files on the soup over the next few months, most from my 4 new AUDIO-CDs, along with many more text files from my books of verse. (Only a few CDs and books left -- 1-11-21). 
   Because, as with most academically undisciplined poets, depending entirely on the mood I’m in at writing time, my pieces vary greatly from meaninglessly comical to meaningfully poignant, and a few are, admittedly, irreverent. If you happen to enjoy “traditional verse” - and appreciate great variety, check out my website’s at:  WWW,WRITEROFBOOKS.COM --- or Google me...after 58 years of penning verse and authoring childrens and suspense books, I’m easy to reach! I've also got a bunch of my verse posted on Youtube, and a few samples listed on Ebay, both findable by simply searching: "Mark Stellinga". 

Cheers,  
Mark