Crossings

Crossings

 I cast my line out o’er the pond

In the brisk and bracing air

On a warm spring day, hope as I may

Love’s salvation to ensare

 A voice was heard across the pond

For sure a maiden fair

Her eyes were bright, her cheeks were red

And golden was her hair

I called to her, she called to me

And smiled did she too

My small wood boat was tethered near

I knew what I must do

I rowed that boat across the pond

She waited there the while

And when I stepped upon the shore

She spread a golden smile

I reached for her, and heard her laugh

With joyfulness and glee

But when I tried to touch her hand

She stepped away from me

Oh beauty, beauty, beauty fair

I’ve brought my heart to thee

I want to stroke your golden hair

And hold you close to me

 She laughed again, flung back her head

So beautiful and wild

“I cannot let you hold me,

For I am yet a child”

“It is not so,” I said,

“’tis plain for all to see.

You’re grown to richest ripeness

Of love’s maturity”

“I must go now quickly,

And cannot love you more

For I am born of your own hopes

Run wild upon this shore”

With that she turned and vanished

As though had never been

And I looked on in anguish

My heart grew weak and dim

I rowed back to the landing dock

And tethered up my boat

I couldn’t cast with rod or reel

Nor keep my heart afloat

Yes, I had known her beauty once

Loved her with all my heart

We had held each other in our arms

Vowed never should we part

But there was truth this summer day

Upon the shimmering lake

There was a truth I must accept

An aching heart t’would break

I had loved a girl once, and she held love for me

We were convinced our love would keep for all eternity

Until they searched the waters, the waters of the lake

And found her floating there, but I would not my love forsake

“She must have slipped and fallen, fallen from the dock”

Those were the words they told to me

Men of honest stock

I held her lifeless body and kissed her soft forehead

“Your love is lost and gone from you”

Was all that they had said

I held her near as I could hold, my heart o’erwhelmed with grief

For fate had taken her from me, like some cruel thief

She lay before me in my arms, I gazed into her eyes

How I remembered her soft kisses, her lips and gentle sighs

I couldn’t bear to hear their words or believe what they had said

She was on her way to heaven now, a halo wreathed her head

So one last time I kissed her and one last time I prayed

She was on her way to heaven now, by fate our love betrayed

I held her ever close to me, despite what they had said

So soft and sweet and lovely, so as to gently rest her head

It pained me to accept it, and filled my heart with grief

My love was gone forever

Yes, my love was gone forever

It pained me to accept it, and filled my heart with grief

That fate had turned a cruel trick and played the part of thief

But now I must accept it, the truth of what was said

For as I held my darling and gazed into her eyes

My sweetest, sweetest darling, whom I loved with all my heart

As I held my sweetheart in my arms, tears welled, and I felt dread

She lay in my arms’ pillow, I rested her sweet head

Yes she lay as on love’s pillow, as I held her gentle head

And clutched her to me one last time, so soft and sweet, and dead

2/27/25