Forever Love

He pulls into a parking spot,
Barely missing the sidewalk
He's late, and she's waiting for him,
As he rushes to her side to talk.

He finds her staring at the door,
And sees relief flood her face
"What kept you so long?",she asks,
He smiles as he puts his chair in place.

"I wanted to stop and get you these",
As he presents her with the small bouquet
Her eyes begin to fill with tears,
And she forgives him for his delay.

He takes her frail hand in his,
And gives it a gentle squeeze
She is drifting off to sleep,
Now that he's put her mind at ease.

He looks so lovingly at her face,
And his heart starts to contract
His love had never wavered for her,
Their marriage still so intact.

He thinks back to time long past,
When he took her for his wife
He knew from that very first day,
He would love her all of his life.

He always believed that he would go first,
For if she went before him
He knew he would be soon to follow,
Life without her would be too grim.

He never allows her to see his fear,
When he walks through the door
Instead he graces her with that lopsided grin,
That she has always adored.

But he knows one day way too soon,
His visits will come to an abrupt end
Instead of bringing her that little bouquet,
He'll have to bury his best friend.

But for now,he'll hold her hand,
And cherish every line on her face
Until that day he will follow her,
To their final resting place.

He pulls into a parking spot,
Barely missing the sidewalk
Today marks their 63rd year together,
And he rushes in for their talk.

He enters the door of the nursing home,
Clutching the Anniversary bouquet
He knows how she worries if he is late,
But it won't matter now,
His love, just this morning, has passed away...

©  Debbie Dodson
April 20, 2000

In 1997 my grandparents died, within 6 weeks of each other.   This poem brings them to mind and the love they shared....I remember my grandfather refusing to allow my nan to be put into a nursing home, but as her health was deteriorating, he finally agreed.  Two months after their 60th wedding anniversary, she passed away, and he was without his lifelong friend and wife....he couldn't live without her and he followed her 
6 weeks later.  This poem is a beautiful reflection of the love between a man and wife lasting forever...
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