Old Jim

When last he saw Nancy the old year was old
And the winds of December from the mountains blew cold
The dark clouds of rain were in the morning sky
She was tearful as he hugged and kissed her goodbye

He promised that he would return to her in the Spring
In the prime of the May when the nesting birds sing
But sadly for him it was not meant to be
In life there is a thing known as destiny

With shoulder length wavy dark hair and eyes of light brown
The prettiest young woman in the old country town
His only visual memory of her a photo that has known a better day
To her he did not return when the wildflowers bloomed in May

A man who knows of the good and bad days of life
Five years ago to cancer he lost his wife
A grandfather five times his best years long gone
In his early eighties and time on him ticking on

Memories of that letter from Nancy's mother are with him today
To tell him his young darling from life had passed away
In her twentieth year of an accident not even in her life's prime
Old Jim remembers that letter though since then six decades in time

Have ticked on and the years have left him looking frail and gray
And physically he has known a far better day
But he feels lucky to have known the love of two women in his life
The long deceased Nancy and Kathy his beloved wife.