You

.

w

e

r

e

.

cool

.

a

n

d

.

hard

.

i

n

.

your

ways . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

A

.

p

a

l

e

.

shade

.

w

a

s

.

the

.

o

n

l

y

.

warmth

that

.

y

o

u

.

gave . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

b

u

t

.

.

.

I

knew

.

y

o

u

.

would

.

b

e

.

worth

.

t

h

e

.

wait . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ I

knew

.

y

o

u

.

would

.

b

e

.

worth

.

t

h

e

.

wait . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

in

.

t

h

e

.

distance

.

I

.

remained . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ in

.

t

h

e

.

distance

.

I

.

remained . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

In

those

.

d

a

y

s

.

you

.

h

a

d

.

a

.

name . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

t

i

l

l

.

.

.

I

wanted

.

y

o

u

.

just

.

t

h

e

.

same . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

wanted

.

y

o

u

.

just

.

t

h

e

.

same . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

the

.

d

a

y

s

.

when

.

y

o

u

.

had

.

a

.

name . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

in

.

t

h

e

.

distance

.

I

.

remained . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

In

.

t

h

e

.

distance

.

I

.

remained . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

In

.

t

h

e

.

distance

.

I

.

remained . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

In

.

t

h

e

.

distance

.

I

.

remained . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

u

n

t

i

l

.

.

.

the

day

.

I

.

felt

.

a

.

gaze

cross

.

t

h

e

.

lanes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

warming

embrace . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

breath

upon

.

m

y

.

face . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

tremble

.

a

n

d

.

shake . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!earthquake!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!!Thunder!!

.

a

n

d

.

!!Rain!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!!!HURRICANE!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!!!!TIDAL!!!!

!!!!WAVE!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!THEN!!!!!

!!!!!CAME!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!!THEN!!!!!!

!!!!!!CAME!!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!!!THEN!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!CAME!!!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!!!!THEN!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!CAME!!!!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

.

.

.

–

–

–

All

hours

.

o

f

.

the

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

h

e

–

–

–

storm

!ROARED!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!RIVETED!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!RAGED!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

!ROARED!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!RIVETED!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!RAGED!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

!ROARED!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!RIVETED!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!RAGED!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

It

!ROARED!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!RIVETED!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!RAGED!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

!AGAIN!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!AGAIN!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!AGAIN!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

!AGAIN!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!AGAIN!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!AGAIN!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!AGAIN!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!AGAIN!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!!AGAIN!!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

First

came

.

a

.

gaze

across

.

t

h

e

.

lanes . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

warming

embrace . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

breath

upon

.

m

y

.

face . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

tremble

.

a

n

d

.

shake . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!earthquake!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!!Thunder!!

.

a

n

d

.

!!Rain!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!!!HURRICANE!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

then

came

.

t

h

e

.

!!!!TIDAL!!!!

!!!!WAVE!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!THEN!!!!!

!!!!!CAME!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!!THEN!!!!!!

!!!!!!CAME!!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!!!THEN!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!CAME!!!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!!!!!!THEN!!!!!!!!

!!!!!!!!CAME!!!!!!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

.

.

.

–

–

–

All

hours

.

o

f

.

the

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

h

e

–

–

–

storm

!ROARED!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!RIVETED!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!RAGED!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ all

hours

.

o

f

.

the

night . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

t

h

e

–

–

–

storm

!ROARED!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!RIVETED!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

!!!RAGED!!!

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

knew

.

y

o

u

.

would

.

b

e

.

worth

.

t

h

e

.

wait . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

knew

.

y

o

u

.

would

.

b

e

.

worth

.

t

h

e

.

wait . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

knew

.

y

o

u

.

would

.

b

e

.

worth

.

t

h

e

.

wait . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

s

o

–

–

–

in

.

m

y

.

dreams

.

I

.

engage . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

In

.

m

y

.

dreams

.

I

.

engage . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

.

In

.

m

y

.

dreams

.

I

.

engage . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

.

In

.

m

y

.

dreams

.

I

.

engage,

.

.

escape,

.

.

a

n

d

.

.

entertain . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

.

b

u

t

.

in

.

t

h

e

.

distance

remain.

Reflection: This is a romantic-themed poem that came into being while reflecting back on some of the more intense, all-consuming, whirlwind romances and infatuations I experienced in my late teens, 20s, and early 30s during my marine corps days, my college days, and my early career days. Many of these were rapturous, rhapsodic, haunting, high-intensity experiences back when I was so easily moved and inspired – I fell under the “spell” of some very intriguing, magnetic, and captivating people back then. I played the wonderful gem of a song: “The Strangest Thing” by George Michael in the background to create the “moodset” and inspire the writing of the poem. If you listen to this song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.