This poem tells the story of getting engaged to my childhood sweetheart at the age of 21. A lot of people will advise you against doing a dumb thing like that but you don’t have to listen to people’s advice. These things can work out, and when they do they’re special. They’re the vibrant and raw magic of life.
I’m downstairs in St John’s
Beneath the radio tower
I’ve been making up my mind
I’ve been here for an hour
Above me, pointing to the sky
A concrete finger reaches high
A ring of glass around it’s tip
Will not be bound, will never slip
Romantically down into place
Around the fingers base
The shops like an extended palm
The life line leads me on
Through dreams of our future
Through memories long gone
I look in through the window
To a field of glittering dew
A single spark of sunlight
to bind my life to you
A tiny diamond sits alone
Within its narrow vale
Through which our story wanders
My favourite fairytale
I go inside, stand at the counter
Sweat beads in my hands
with your old ring that I have
Borrowed, a little silver band
Because I know it fits your finger
And I want it to be right
The women in the shop
Turns round and says
‘Are you alright,
Love? Can I help you?’
And I point at the display
At the one that I have chosen
For the thing that I must say
For the question in my mind
The beginning of forever
The adventures we will find
The people that together
We will bring into the world
She measures it and says
‘You can pick it up next week’
And I tell her ‘thanks a lot’
A little redness in my cheeks
Flushed with happiness and nerves
and embarrassment and pride
And the thought of me, the groom
And the thought of you, the bride
I know I’ll always love you
I know that you love me
I know we’re only young
And that we should wait and see
But I know that I can’t do that
There’s nothing to wait for
The feeling that I have
Is not a feeling to ignore
It’s a feeling to embrace
To embrace and seize the day
To look in your eyes and ask you
‘Would forever be ok?
#engagement #spokenword #poetry
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