Lasting Love
From fifth grade pigtails put into ink wells
to teenage kisses at the doorstep
life flows like water building swells
as it runs downward to become a seascape.
From youthful encounters late at night
to married bliss in your own home
the river of time carries us toward an unavoidable rite
from which there is no escape.
From the trials of middle age
to the frightening specter of approaching doom
the majestic river of old age
races us to the finish tape.
Turn around, and measure life’s trail.
Enjoy the triumph of life’s totality.
The river of time has carved a record in detail
of a life that a lasting love has shaped.