Fate or Daylight Savings:


He led a simple life
Farm boy with an ancient family line
Worth his weight in gold

She wanted everything she never had
Her father’s most precious child
Coal miners daughter born before ruble

They met on a sunny evening
Daylight savings just begun
More hours to work, harder boy, steady now

Produce more fruit
Provide for this family
Said the father to his son.

He had three weeks left
Until his shipping papers showed up
Never till now had he rethought signing his soul

She was walking home from church
Never bothered to learn the roads
Got lost, and here she ended up

Lutheran girls marry off first
A strong man darling, this one is no good
Said the father to his daughter.

Dismissive as a goat, She use to think
If he knew what was best
Why didn’t he pick one out for me?

She stopped to take off her sweater
Father wouldn’t approve
Their fight left her uncaring–momentarily–

He saw her first upon his stone stoop
Bare shoulder blades white as snow
Strong stride, like an ox he thought

Don’t engage, keep to your chores
Keep your head down till she’s gone
Thought the man to his desires.

She kicked a rock up with her foot
Caught it with her hand
Hoping to catch his fancy
Sly glace over in his direction
He was no longer looking
She had to change that

Tossing the rock a few times
She was drawing closer to him
Kept her eyes steady with his,
She approached fate

‘Hey’ She said, still tossing her rock
She smiled as he looked up
He smiled back, courageously said ‘Ma’am’

With a tilt of his head
She was hooked

The wedding was set for May
When he would be home on leave
Her father was not pleased

He promised her the world
Travels galore
She didn’t need to hear more

The way he looked at her
Made her stomach jump
Palms grow wet, and heart race

She never wanted anything more
She would settle down
Strong and slow

Raise a family
Start a life
As an Engineers Wife

His kisses were enough, made her legs go weak
She didn’t need the world; no longer saw the point
Just his hand on hers until she was eighty-three

Her father didn’t approve
It made it all the more exciting
He shipped off as a Marine,
And she proud as can be

Landed on Peleliu, bloodiest war he’d ever seen
But one thing he knew
She’d be waiting when he got home
Bare white shoulder blades sitting on his stoop
Daisies molded into her hair, a smile and that band around her finger
The very imagination was worth its weight in gold.

Comments

  1. A short story within a poem.
    I love the title.
    I also like the repetition of the "worth its weight in gold" metaphor.

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  2. Thank you for your continuous support. This poem is based on my grandmother and grandfather.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Amazing!!!! I loved it.

    I just came in through your comment on my blog and am a fan. Can't wait to get through the rest of your Poems. I also blog at http://mohur blogspot.com . Will feature your blog on it soon and will let you know!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thank you so much for your support! It means a lot. I am so glad and humbled that you liked the poem.

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  5. I really, really, really loved this! Grabs you into the story! I will spread the word about your blogs. Let me know if I can share one of your reviews or poems and post it on my blog with a link to yours?!

    ReplyDelete

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