Musings by The Poet Loriet
One Enchanted Evening
One Enchanted Evening
(dedicated to my best friend and partner in poetry, Bob Lovell)
I'll never forget May 31st, 2003
from the initial fireworks that
set the sky on fire as we reunited
to the melancholy kiss goodbye
that you planted ever-so-sweetly
upon my cheek.
You brought magic into my life,
swinging together on porch swings
in Wal-Mart's Garden Center,
our photo-journalistic tour of Kroger,
posing with lobsters and Captain Crunch
and laughing until we cried...
and we did cry in my van
as we talked about the past, the future,
dreams that would never come true,
hellos and goodbyes, doors that
were opening and closing in our lives.
We drove around downtown singing
all the sappy songs that played on my radio,
the ones that told our story,
and we became quiet, lost
in our meditations.
As we walked toward the river,
I showed you the pavillion
where my ex-husband
knelt before me in a
white horse-drawn carriage
and you understood the tear
that slipped down my cheek
and offered your "shhhhh,
baby girl~my baby blue...
it's okay now. You're
in good hands tonight."
You knew I needed your
shoulder along with my own
to carry the weight of
my memories.
I'll never forget walking along the river
in the chilly evening breeze, becoming
philosophical about how the water
resembled us, what was beneath the surface,
the nurturing cool sustenance
as we held onto each other tightly
knowing that we'd never have
another night like this one.
I showed you my favorite statues
and we walked by the night-life,
the bands playing, city lights,
and were oblivious to it all.
At my very favorite statue,
you looked into my eyes
as you held onto me, to us,
and you touched my soul itself
when you said,
"I love you, Lori Carroll.
I will always love you."
There was only you and I,
the trees, the park benches,
the water, the art, the sparkling
lights dancing on the river
and the comforting embrace
and whispered secrets of
a best friend.
And then the dancing!
At one a.m., we stood alone
beneath the street lamp as
we danced to the jazzy blues
piped out from The Rhythm Kitchen.
True love is dancing with
your best friend in the world
as the city disappears
around you.
You twirled me around and
then held me closer
than your own breath.
We melted together
losing time, space, distance,
knowing that when we left,
there would be no
magical glass slipper,
and these moments would
no longer be tangible.
I planted the flowers today,
blood-red lillies with passion
blushing in the petals, so
vibrant and alive, souvenirs
of love that breathed, lived
in us like water, something
real in which memories bloom.
(Thank you...)
They will blossom like
the love that couldn't and remind me
that we could have been beautiful...
We will always be friends who refuse
to say "goodbye"...
You'll never be further than
a heartbeat away.
I will always love you.
Thank you for being
my best friend.
Lori Beal
(dedicated to my best friend and partner in poetry, Bob Lovell)
I'll never forget May 31st, 2003
from the initial fireworks that
set the sky on fire as we reunited
to the melancholy kiss goodbye
that you planted ever-so-sweetly
upon my cheek.
You brought magic into my life,
swinging together on porch swings
in Wal-Mart's Garden Center,
our photo-journalistic tour of Kroger,
posing with lobsters and Captain Crunch
and laughing until we cried...
and we did cry in my van
as we talked about the past, the future,
dreams that would never come true,
hellos and goodbyes, doors that
were opening and closing in our lives.
We drove around downtown singing
all the sappy songs that played on my radio,
the ones that told our story,
and we became quiet, lost
in our meditations.
As we walked toward the river,
I showed you the pavillion
where my ex-husband
knelt before me in a
white horse-drawn carriage
and you understood the tear
that slipped down my cheek
and offered your "shhhhh,
baby girl~my baby blue...
it's okay now. You're
in good hands tonight."
You knew I needed your
shoulder along with my own
to carry the weight of
my memories.
I'll never forget walking along the river
in the chilly evening breeze, becoming
philosophical about how the water
resembled us, what was beneath the surface,
the nurturing cool sustenance
as we held onto each other tightly
knowing that we'd never have
another night like this one.
I showed you my favorite statues
and we walked by the night-life,
the bands playing, city lights,
and were oblivious to it all.
At my very favorite statue,
you looked into my eyes
as you held onto me, to us,
and you touched my soul itself
when you said,
"I love you, Lori Carroll.
I will always love you."
There was only you and I,
the trees, the park benches,
the water, the art, the sparkling
lights dancing on the river
and the comforting embrace
and whispered secrets of
a best friend.
And then the dancing!
At one a.m., we stood alone
beneath the street lamp as
we danced to the jazzy blues
piped out from The Rhythm Kitchen.
True love is dancing with
your best friend in the world
as the city disappears
around you.
You twirled me around and
then held me closer
than your own breath.
We melted together
losing time, space, distance,
knowing that when we left,
there would be no
magical glass slipper,
and these moments would
no longer be tangible.
I planted the flowers today,
blood-red lillies with passion
blushing in the petals, so
vibrant and alive, souvenirs
of love that breathed, lived
in us like water, something
real in which memories bloom.
(Thank you...)
They will blossom like
the love that couldn't and remind me
that we could have been beautiful...
We will always be friends who refuse
to say "goodbye"...
You'll never be further than
a heartbeat away.
I will always love you.
Thank you for being
my best friend.
Lori Beal
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One Enchanted Evening
One Enchanted Evening
