The Long Look
Your cheeks flared crimson, through my misty eyes
as recognition dawned, you held my gaze,
our awkward smiles and nods could not disguise
the memories recalled, forgotten days.
Seeds of our love were sown one winter's night,
two seasons passed, like shoots we watched them grow
for Summer harvesting, the time seemed right,
on bended knee, a ring, please don't say no.
We walked the shore at sundown, arm in arm,
you picked your way through rocks with easy grace,
chorus of breaking waves weaving their charms
the breeze whipped strands of hair across your face.
In hindsight we reaped our harvest much too soon,
the shoots not strong enough to weather storms,
before year's end our hearts played different tunes,
from tiny arguments a tempest formed.
Decades ago we went our separate ways
the long shadow you cast in my heart fades
the what-if's and could-be's of yesterday
long buried under choices we have made.
But deep inside that hazel coloured stare
a flickering of something that's still there.
10th April 2018
For contest 'Ten words', sponsor Joseph May
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