This story begins after the Vietnam War
I lived out in Cali, right near the shore.
I was twenty two years old
And feeling quite bold,
when I met a young man twenty three years of age,
that’s when my life began on a whole new page
I was a waitress at the ol’ Grove
He smelt fancy and kind of like clove.
He flirted with me and asked me “Why don’t you come sit?”
I told him, “I can’t right now, but I get off in a bit.”
He gave me a cocky wink and a cute lil’ smile-
said to me, “Doll, why don’t I make your time worthwhile?”
I smiled right back then said “What can I get started with that?”
“I’ll take a cup of Ol’ Joe, then we can chat.”
After my shift, we talked all through the night.
He asked if he could walk me home, but I said “It’s alright.”
This boy and I talked every day for over a year.
Then one day, I was sure, everything became clear.
We fell in love and decided to wed.
Promised to stay til’ the deathbed
That boy then became a man,
and I changed my name to Mrs. Retlingfan.
He built us a house by Snake Mouths Creek.
Someday we’d know we’d have a pip-squeak,
who’d run the halls and color on the walls
If it’s a lil girl, she’d play with her dolls
A lil’ boy would play hunt-acting like a man, after all.
The day we brought Ophelia Jane home,
my love for that man began to roam,
A lot farther then I thought I could ever love
Our story is what I’m most proud of.
Well Ophie grew up and then back to just two
in the very house we once knew,
that was filled with our lil’ girls laughter,
but then she met a man and soon came happily ever after,
Then one day there was a call for Chester and I.
It happened one day in hot summer’s July.
We became a Pops and Granny,
and our girl had sweet baby Annie.
Annie came by the house every other day
until she started school at West Brooke Way
Then again, it was Chester and me,
but we still had fun you see.
We would go down to the creek and fish,
or watch the stars and make a wish.
But my favorite memory of them all,
was the living room ball.
We would dance the night away,
acting as if we weren’t old and gray.
Every Sunday morning we went to church-
walked three blocks past some sweet birch.
It was our favorite thing on those walks;
then it would bring us to some plant or bird talks.
Chester was a man of nature, and so was I.
We loved the sound of wind and seeing birds fly.
After church, I’d make a cup of Ol’ Joe.
Oh my, that feels like such long ago.
So the years went by until we were both near death.
Still we promised to love until the last breath.
At the age of seventy-four, Chester had a heart attack.
God, I miss him so much, I just want him back.
So I sit in his spot and wait for the day,
where death will stop being in our way.

Rylee H. is a 7th grade poet.