The fluttering eyelashes, the expressive hands
And the loud, infectious laughter
Are enthralling the patrons of another pub
Somewhere far away now, but I cannot forget
Long, elegant fingers wrapped around
A wine glass hovering in front of
Dark, alluring eyes just across the table
From me after a hard day at work.

We had the enjoyment of those
Sometimes cringeworthy but always entertaining
Tales of a life too long to fit into your years
For but a few short months before
You felt your spirit of adventure stirring
Once more in that deep soul of yours
And had to find a new adventure
To make your own.

You never got to see the fruits of
The words of wisdom you gave me
In the infancy of this now elderly year.
This happiness that pervades my days now
Stems from that chat in the bleakly lit
Former hotel bar while we recovered from
The trials of our respective long weeks.

The image of you I will never forget is
The you that somehow contained that huge voice
That swept the feet from under anyone
With a heart, giving genuine soul to
All those songs you made your very own.

Perhaps that image will grace the covers
Of the magazines you read when the world
Decides it is ready at last to welcome
The unique gift you have to offer.

Until then, I am left to wonder
Where you are now, and to hope that
The joy and life that filled any room that
Played host to you has not faded,
And will continue to illuminate the world
For many years to come.

11/15/2004

Posted on 11/16/2004
Copyright © 2024 Richard Vince