At The Beach

By Lisa Marie Harmon

It was in The City
On a peaceful, starlit night
Where he first saw her ink-black hair
Those piercing dark eyes

And the smile that killed him

It was in The Park
After the symphony, as they both were leaving
When she tripped on a stone
He caught her elbow, learned her name,
And slowly walked her home

It was at her mother’s
On a rainy Christmas Eve

When he first hoped it might be never ending

She smiled then too

Leaving him defenseless

It was at their favorite restaurant

With no armor

Where he finally braved the question

And as she said yes

He died and went to heaven

It was in their life together

Where he took the colors

That she gave him and learned his purpose

To make her smile that smile

To be with her forever

It was in the doctor’s office

Where he first felt that fear

The worst kind, that

Twists your guts and shakes your bones

And steals the smiles

It was in a mountain cabin

Where they cried together

He wrapped her tight in quilt and arms

As they watched the clouds

Roll through the hills

It was at the beach

As the sun was brightly shining

Where he knew a new despair

Asked a thousand whys

And stood alone for a long time

National Poetry Writing Month, day 11

Prompt: At the beach