Category: poetry

First day of spring and you

On the first day of spring

two decades and 4 years ago

I remember…

I remember you

walking towards me 

looking dashing in your beige barong

smiling and saying, “Hello, I believe

we’ve met earlier…”

Yes, I remember your voice

strong but gentle, 

commanding attention, 

but allowing spaces of silence 

to listen with full attention —

Yes, I remember your eyes,

the color of the sea, deep green, 

shining with amusement 

quietly taking in my words 

spoken in response to your revelation

that you were not just a minister

you were a lawyer, too.

Yes, I remember my unfiltered,

unapologetic reply –

that night at the Luce Library,

“I don’t like lawyers much!”

You just stood there gazing at me

and letting me chatter on 

like a defense attorney making her case

why you should walk away now 

while you can.

But you didn’t. 

You stayed 

and listened …

and at the end of my lengthy opening statement, 

we both knew, 

you had won 

the most important case 

in your life, 

you had won 

my heart.

  • Carla Romarate-Knipel