She Whispers "I Always Did Love You"

For You, My Sweet Friend, You Know Who You Are

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I Always Loved You
By La Belle Rouge

She had promised him a dance
way back in 2002 or was it three?
Long before she had arthritis
and he had an artificial hip and knee.
He said he would wait, as long as he must.
With the two of them there was never
any strife, no lies or mistrust.

At the poets’ convention in 2021
when they’d made their marks
and love and life were almost done;
he looks for her, she looks for him.
She wants that promised dance.
Their mutual admiration is more than a whim.

He finally spies her across the room
red hairs now balanced with grays.
His mind slips back to other days
when she would tease him with words
and his would make her sigh.
They would slow dance across the miles
while the rest of the world went by.

Still handsome in his advanced age
She sees him too, distinguished man
Her heart skips a beat at last to meet.
But would he go through with the plan
to meet and enjoy a dance together?
She would have known him anywhere
but she wonders whether
he’ll still want to hold her in his arms.
Since she is a little slow and bent
and has lost all her younger outward charms.

No awkwardness when face to face
memories transport them back
to a earlier time and place.
A thousand lines of shared poetry
come rushing back into their hearts
and in their minds they can see
a debonair man, still agile and straight
and a red haired, curvaceous temptress
who no longer will make him wait
for the feel of her surrendered in his arms
for the reality of all those poetic charms.

A dance of a lifetime, that’s what it is
a fulfillment of a sweet dream
a cherished hope, both hers and his.
And as they slowly move across the floor
suddenly age just doesn’t matter anymore.
They’re young again and full of fire
living out at last their poetic desire.
She gazes into his eyes and whispers.
“You know, I always did love you.”
He replies with a bittersweet smile.
“I know.... I loved you too.”


6/11/2007 La Belle Rouge

“Poetry, Love Whispers”

Music
"I Knew I Loved You Before I Met You"