Fin

The only gift I ever wanted came to me,
The only thing I’ve ever wanted, since I was three
When all I ever wanted was to be
Happily married
To, exactly, only and both: Brad and Dee

Forever happened forever and it never came to me
Forever happened for far too long, and I failed to see
Why forever happened differently for all others and for me
Why forever never happened like I wanted it to be

Fourfuxsäk, it isn’t fair at all
I’m twice as nice, at least, as Sally Know-It-All
And nearly, almost as pretty as that girl you knew before
Besides, you said I was the most beautiful – and even more
You said I was the smartest and the easiest to talk to
You said I was the most amazing girl you ever knew
You SAID you’d be here TOMORROW – and, didn’t you ever learn?
Finders-Keepers and Indian Givers never found a thing they’d earn

It’s fine.
It’s all just fine-and-dandy, now.
And you can keep on chewing cud with that heifer you call a cow
(And I don’t mean that girl you’re sleeping with these days
I haven’t anything against her; and you’re just living in a haze
Deceit is worst, you know, when you turn it on yourself
But that’s for me to know and you to find in some book upon your shelf)

It’s FINE, I said, because, you know that guy across the way?
No, not that way; the other way – I met him twice the other day
And twice again the next morning, twice in the afternoon
‘Cause he kept on showing up with the clockwork of the moon
Everything HE did, he said to me he’d do
And there he was, sure-as-shock and true as true is true

It’s fine; he’s fine; we’re fine; I’m fine
And all is right-as-rain
I’ll catch up with you another time
I’m seeing him again

And every time I see him, it’s his mind I treasure more
For that, alone, is all I wished to even up the score
Somehow, he’s just the type of guy to open up my door
(A bit my dad would be proud of, it’s his favorite romantic lore)

And, though I never wanted for gifts of pretty rings
He hunts in every shop we pass for jewelry and things
He tells me: What he wants for me is that I’ll always know
His heart is mine forever (this he says with eyes aglow)
And never must I worry that his mind is true, as well
For, he says, I’m astounding and without me, he’s in hell

Isn’t it the strangest thing, to find one’s counterpart?
I’d be scared – except, with him, I can’t but spill my heart
And every word I speak to him, and every word I write
Is naught but merriment to him, perfection and delight

It started with the smallest thing: We each said what we felt
And all protections fell away while hearts and minds together melt.

So, if you don’t believe in love, don’t believe my words are true
I dare you to risk all you are and see if it works for you.

5 thoughts on “Fin

  1. Beautiful poem Meredith. I love the imagery and the rhyme scheme. I am such a rhyming couplet gal and this poem is bathed in couplets-love it! I loved the lines…” Isn’t it the strangest thing to find ones counterpart?I’d be scared except with him, I can’t but spill my heart. Fantastic imagery and it is what every woman is waiting for! I loved the challenge at the end for all readers to believe in love and what works for them… Beautiful work!

  2. Thank you so much for reading and for your comments, Ingrid!

    The prompt being “what we want most right now,” I wrote about my version of the perfect love – which I can only want because I don’t *have* it.

    That last line is as much a reminder to myself as it is to readers. Thank you for picking up on the message. <3

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