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
.
w
e
.
wanted
to . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ we
could
.
d
o
.
whatever
.
w
e
.
wanted
to . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
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
.
t
i
m
e
.
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
.
t
h
e
.
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
.
t
h
e
.
words,
.
t
h
e
.
rhythm,
.
a
n
d
.
the
rhyme
–
–
were
.
l
i
k
e
.
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
.
t
h
e
.
skies
.
o
f
.
starshine . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
We
would
–
–
ride
.
t
h
e
.
skies . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
We
would
–
–
ride
.
t
h
e
.
skies . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
We
would
–
–
ride
.
t
h
e
.
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
.
h
a
d
.
rhyme,
.
a
n
d
.
wine,
.
a
n
d
.
candlelight
.
o
n
.
our
side . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ we
.
h
a
d
.
rhyme,
.
a
n
d
.
wine,
.
a
n
d
.
candlelight
.
o
n
.
our
side . . .
–
–
–
.
.
when
.
w
e
.
shined
.
o
u
r
.
springtime
smiles . . .
–
–
–
.
.
.
~ when
.
w
e
.
shined
.
o
u
r
.
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
.
t
h
e
.
while
–
–
you
were
.
n
o
t
.
mine.
Reflection: This was a popular romantic-themed poem I wrote back in August 2022 which 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.