"...Love me tender,
Love me true..."
Goes that sweet, sweet love song.
Yes, for those who love
And truly love,
Nothing could ever go wrong.
The band is a bond,
The cord, not a chain,
The flowers are fragrant forever.
Silk is so soft,
The stone is priceless,
And the lady whispers "Forever!"
But what sorrow it is
If the love is lost
And the sweet love song stopped playing?
Then the band becomes a handcuff,
The flowers' scent fades,
And the cord is a chain tightening.
The soft silk is a gown,
A long dress for a corpse
Crying beneath the turf.
Then the stone loses its brilliance.
It becomes worthless;
And, "Oh, God!" she sobs from the earth.
(February 1992)