After that I went blank on the day’s lesson I recall
in our 6th grade classroom in the early season of fall.
Upon spotting you, I didn’t care what a preposition is for,
and “participle” was merely a word I couldn’t pronounce.
Ms. Carr’s voice faded in my ears to just background noise,
while I studied the funny way of your ponytail’s bounce
and your sparkling smile impossible to ignore.
I squirmed at my desk impatiently waiting,
my gaze transfixed on you quite understating,
oh recess, how I longed to hear your bell.

My fervent wish was at long last granted,
and the class ran to the playground quickly with joy.
But we were only 11, and though I was already enchanted,
I had nary a clue about how females cast their spell.
I sat on a cement bench feeling lonely and blue,
trying to muster enough nerve to even say “hi” to you.
But you made it so easy when you sat down beside me
with ponytail bouncing, and a smile that could light up a room.
“Hi, I’m Bobby” I  nervously said, beating you to the punch,
with confidence I lacked but had, or so I wanted you to assume.

After knowing you one minute, I felt my heart slipping as if on key.
You said your name is Angela, which came as no surprise,
everything about you seemed angelic to my young mind and eyes.
It was recess and we were kids, so we ran hard to go play,
laughing gleefully as I pushed you ever higher on a swing,
hopped on the merry-go-round and I fell off and scraped my knee.
The school nurse applied medicine which only increased the sting,
but returning to class, I was a happier boy it’s easy to say.

Many think we were too young then to know what love is about
and then, as today, they’re surprised we agree without a doubt.
But we bonded closer, ever closer as each year flew by,
before we finished college, our love was mature and for real.
We married upon graduation, raising 3 children took center stage,
though we faced a few tribulations, our love continues sky high.
We’re old and grey now, some would say well past our prime,
our children have successful careers, our nest emptied by time.

But the once very young girl I laughingly pushed on a swing,
half of just another kiddy crush as wrongfully spoken then,
Angela was in reality, my first, my only and everlasting true love.
We can’t imagine life apart, we’ll be as one ’til one meets an end,
we knew from the start our love never would be merely a fling.