Winsome Smile Of Serenity Poem by Denis Martindale

She had that and much more,
Just like the perfect recipe
Cooked right, without a flaw...
And then presented in a light
That set her far apart,
From all the other girls in sight
Who stood to melt my heart...
Without a trace of harm at all,
Benign in every way,
Such that I knew love came to call
That very special day...

For there, before my very eyes,
A snapshot borne of love,
With tempting thoughts to realise,
There's nothing else above...
Yet she deserved a better man
Than I could ever be,
Despite the fact I hoped to plan
Some perfect date with me...
And so I gulped, controlled my mind,
Dismissed my hopes and dreams
And let her destiny unwind,
Despite initial schemes...

And so I stayed a little while,
To memorise her face,
Her hair and oh so winsome smile
That no girl could replace...
Then up I stood and left the room,
Though staying I preferred,
No more to dare and thus presume,
I went without a word...
But through the years, she haunts me still,
Her only claim to fame,
I loved her then and always will,
Yet never learnt her name...

She lives within my lonesome heart,
Though decades have since past,
Because I simply played it smart,
That's how the die was cast...
Perhaps she wed another guy,
Had children good as gold,
Enough to make this grown man sigh
At blessings that unfold...
If so, for her, that's Paradise,
A world I couldn't give,
That's why I made the sacrifice,
Her God-blessed life to live...