Will You Marry Me Poem by mark nwagwu

Seven years old in primary school
1944 up and running
and you in diapers one year on milk
1943 gave us your eyes

What if you I tell you I don’t know sums
and ran from whipping from teacher so furious
can’t stand a boy strange to addition
division too complex for hoarding mind

Ran away to escape the whip
spent the hours in hiding far from home
unknown to dad with a bigger cane for truant son
teacher and father in perfect agreement

What if I came and said, marry me
tattered running nose and all divided
don’t add up to much can’t multiply
would you take me in as you do now