I

thought

.

o

f

.

you

.

a

n

d

.

smiled . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

wondered

how

–

–

your

life

–

–

had

gone

.

a

l

l

.

the

while . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ all

.

t

h

e

.

while

–

–

you

were

.

n

o

t

.

mine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

.

w

a

s

.

surprised

.

t

o

.

find

–

–

how

many

–

–

lows

.

a

n

d

.

highs

.

h

a

d

.

gone

by . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ how

many

–

–

lows

.

a

n

d

.

highs

.

h

a

d

.

gone

by . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

since

.

w

e

.

shined

–

–

our

smiles

.

o

f

.

Springtime . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

shined

–

–

our

smiles

.

o

f

.

Springtime . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

back

when

–

–

the

days

.

o

f

.

me

.

a

n

d

.

you

–

–

were

new,

.

a

n

d

.

still

.

i

n

.

bloom . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ they

.

w

e

r

e

.

new,

.

a

n

d

.

still

.

i

n

.

bloom . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

we

knew

–

–

we

could

.

n

o

t

.

lose . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

could

.

n

o

t

.

lose

.

i

n

.

those

restless

days

.

o

f

.

youth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

love

.

w

a

s

.

more

a

mood

–

–

than

a

proof . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

we

could

move,

.

a

n

d

.

pursue,

.

a

n

d

.

do

–

–

whatever

we’d

–

–

choose . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

could

do

–

–

whatever

we’d

–

–

choose . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

i

n

–

–

–

those

restless

days

.

o

f

.

youth . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

when

everything

.

w

a

s

.

new,

.

a

n

d

.

still

.

i

n

.

bloom . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ when

everything

.

w

a

s

.

new,

.

a

n

d

.

still

.

i

n

.

bloom . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

including

me

.

a

n

d

.

you . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

How

much

time

–

–

passed

by . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

since

.

w

e

.

shined

–

–

our

smiles

.

o

f

.

Springtime

.

a

t

.

the 

starting

line . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ since

.

w

e

.

shined

–

–

our

smiles

.

o

f

.

Springtime

.

a

t

.

the 

starting

line . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

igniting

.

a

n

d

.

exciting

–

–

the

eyes

.

o

f

.

delight

–

–

which

–

–

came

alive

.

a

n

d

.

would

marvel

.

f

o

r

.

miles

.

a

t

.

a

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

They

would

marvel

.

f

o

r

.

miles . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

They

would

marvel

.

f

o

r

.

miles . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

They

would

marvel

.

f

o

r

.

miles

.

a

t

.

a

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ those

eyes

.

o

f

.

delight,

–

–

alive

.

i

n

.

our

springtime

smiles . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

when

–

–

the

words,

–

–

the

rhythm,

.

a

n

d

.

the

rhyme

–

–

were

like

wine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

everything

.

w

a

s

.

fine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ yes,

everything

.

w

a

s

.

fine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

could

still

.

g

o

.

right . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ everything

 could

still

.

g

o

.

right

.

i

n

.

time . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

we

would

ride

–

–

the

skies

.

o

f

.

starshine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

would

ride

–

–

the

skies . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

would

ride

–

–

the

skies . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

We

would

ride

–

–

the

skies

.

o

f

.

starshine . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

nice,

.

a

n

d

.

bright,

.

a

n

d

.

high,

.

a

n

d

.

wide . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

mile,

–

–

after

mile,

–

–

after

mile,

–

–

after

mile . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

smile,

–

–

after

smile,

–

–

after

smile,

–

–

after

smile . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

f

o

r

–

–

–

we

had

–

–

rhyme,

.

a

n

d

.

wine,

.

a

n

d

.

candlelight

.

o

n

.

our

side . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ we

had

–

–

rhyme,

.

a

n

d

.

wine,

.

a

n

d

.

candlelight

.

o

n

.

our

side . . .

–

–

–

.

.

when

we

shined

–

–

our

Springtime

smiles . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ when

we

shined

–

–

our

Springtime

smiles . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

I

thought

.

o

f

.

you

.

a

n

d

.

smiled . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

a

n

d

–

–

–

wondered

how

–

–

your

life

–

–

had

gone

.

a

l

l

.

the

while . . .

–

–

–

.

.

.

 ~ all

the

while

–

–

you

were

.

n

o

t

.

mine.

Reflection:  This poem largely reflects looking back on a cherished, one-of-a-kind, past romance – and is something most of us have probably experienced in our lives. Romance seemed so much easier in the days of youth when expectations were much lower, and we were less judgmental and more forgiving towards each other.

The opening lines to this poem came to me while I was at New Smyrna Beach. The remainder of the poem came into being a couple of weeks later by the accidental intersection of one of my favorite movies (“Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool.”) and an old song on the radio that I had never heard before on the drive back from Daytona Beach (“Come Saturday Morning” by The Sandpipers which was a tiny but catchy echo from back in 1970 – its peak position on the charts was at #17). And although this song was not in the movie, and not much of a hit, it really hit me and fit perfectly with what I was reflecting on and trying to capture.

The song served as the primary inspiration for the poem which took several iterations to write (while playing the song repeatedly on low volume to create the “moodset” for the poem). If you listen to the song at low volume while reading this poem, you might better get the “feel” of it.