Mere children we were riding
our bicycles, faster you would
go taunting me with your playing
cards held on with clothes pins
flapping by me making such noise

Playing hopscotch, Oh! but
I stayed within the lines and
beat you almost every time

Progressing to spin the bottle,
learning how to kiss with a smack

Then the back row of our own
neighborhood theatre on Friday
nights for a bit of smooching, through
who knows what movie was playing

Let me carry your books, You the
star football player, Me the popular
elected cheerleader happy as seen
by fellow classmates in the school
auditorium every morning before
the start of classes

But, for fun after the football
games at our favorite bbq
hangout for the combo plate
with beans in a pot and lemon
icebox pie...to be seen by
all as a lovie dovie couple

Senior rings, the prom and such
graduation came all too soon

However, college days would
rattle our brains and make us
want to plan ahead for what
should be after graduation

But, this we knew, together we
wanted to share our lives as
Mr. and Mrs.

Consequently, the honeymoon
bedroom is all dressed up in it's finest
for what will be a night like no other

Turn out the lights, my dearest
for promises kept sealing our love
in wild romance of becoming one

Lasting long after the roses blooms have
given way, and the wine has lost it's buzz
Our Mr. and Mrs. titles to live on through
thick and thin until death does us part,
or so we pledged in the heat of the night

(c) Before and After the Wine and Roses
07September2011 Vivian L. Dawson