What Was I Thinking?

From the wedding dresses hanging

in thrift store windows,

to wedding and engagement rings

shining in the lights at pawn shops,

what made me so naive and ignorant?

Why did I believe that I would

be one of those adorable

80-year-old couples where the

husband (though using a cane) still

pulls the chair our for the wife?

The smile they give each other

reveals a deep love and respect

strengthened over time.

The comfort of having each other

through whatever may come

emanates to suckers

and believers like me and begs

us to take a chance.

So even though the signs and

evidence of ruin are everywhere,

I chose to turn a blind eye

and jump in anyway.

Not knowing that I would

forever pay the price for

my blind journey into the

mysterious and everlonged

hole of love.

Poems must include the writer's name, phone number and address. They should be kept to no more than 300 words. Submission of a poem does not guarantee publication. Poems may be e-mailed to news@peninsulaclarion.com, faxed to 283-3299, delivered to the Clarion at 150 Trading Bay Road or mailed to P.O. Box 3009, Kenai, AK 99611.