The Tryst

Ambrose stood at the cottage step

A bouquet in his hand,

He’d come to woo sweet Adeline

From a strange and far off land,

They’d known each other since children, and

They’d made to each a vow:

‘I never will love another more

Than I love you, even now!’

 

They’d played in the heat of the summer sun,

They’d played in the autumn shade,

But winter carried him far from home

And the love that they’d almost made,

They wrote through spring and the summer’s height

They wrote right through to the fall,

But the winter chills saw the postman fill

No letterbox at all.

 

His letters came back, duly stamped

‘Not known at this address!’

He grieved as the spring made true love sing

Anew in his sorrowing breast,

He bought a ticket and travelled home

Third Class, by Packet Steam,

But fretted all of the way across

For the love of his Adeline.

 

He knocked at the cottage door where she

Had lived when the world was good,

But the knocker made an echoing sound

On the door, where Ambrose stood,

The flowers she’d tended lovingly

Were dead in the window box,

Except for a patch of colour there,

A clump of forget-me-nots.

 

He knocked, and then he knocked again,

There came no patter of feet,

Only the sound of silence there

As he felt his own heart beat,

He little knew as he turned away

That a bier stood in the hall,

And the coffin that lay there sombrely

Knew nothing of life at all.

 

She’d ceased to write when she caught the sight

Of the blood on her handkerchief,

And the winter cough said clear enough

That there’d be no summer heat,

She lay in the coffin, sweetly dressed,

With a note beside her brow:

‘I never will love another more

Than I love you, even now!’

 

David Lewis Paget

Reviews

[Valentine]

I read this one before but my review must not have taken..For so few people..love until death separates them,,people are just not dedicated to one another like they should be..Another perfect piece from my favorite poet..Hope all is well down under and that all of the family are well and happy. Love and God bles..Kathie

[David Scott]

Well David, I'm not sure this felt like a tryst to me. The story does tell me to enjoy the day "for tomorrow we may die". Sad story to me but I enjoyed the read no less.

[Rob Santana]

Love can be so painful in many different ways. Another master piece my friend.

[Leigh]

Oh this is so sad and bittersweet, I like the format

[Lena M. P.]

What a touching, romantic piece. Truly moving yet bittersweet.

[Extant]

Tragically beautiful, indeed. How quickly life changes, and our loved ones are taken away, washed away.

[Patricia B. Hepler]

I was a bit afraid to finish reading this for fear of an abrupt ending. Your story of deep love and of how they both loved til the end of her life was tragic, bittersweet, painful-and beautiful.

Paget poetry prevails.. peace, ~ pat

[Lisa Ring]

Could there be anything more tragic than a deep love and a young life taken too soon? Beautifully emotive and most skillfully written.

[The Refined Poet]

Sweet tragedy. The story keeps moving nicely making the reader to want to see how it ends. Well written

[Heather]

such a sad piece, tragic to find her that way.. the forget me nots (so touching). You are simply amazing in your story telling prose. Thank you for the RR, I always enjoy your pieces.