Beth

Found in a used book store…a plea for reconciliation…

“Beth
Thank you for bring (sic) poetry into my life.
You have filled my heart with many wondrous and new things.
Even though we may be at a fragile time in our relationship,
I can’t imagine my life without you.
I love you with all my heart
and I
feel you deep within my soul every day
          love
                                      Geoffrey”

Maybe, Geoffrey, if you had started with…

I love you Beth…

You may have received a better reception…

   No writer can write better words than “I love you Beth”.  You can substitute another name, but it will not change the gravity or importance of those four words.  The name doesn’t really matter.  The words “I love you” are what matters.  They are words we all like to hear.  They are words we all want to say.

But Geoffrey didn’t say “I love you Beth” or “Dear Beth”.  Geoffrey simply began his plea for reconciliation with… “Beth”. 

What must Beth have thought upon reading the introduction, “Beth”?

Did it leave her as cold as it left me? 

Does it leave you cold and maybe just a little bit distant? 

Maybe Geoffrey could feel the chill in the air and was afraid to light a real fire

.

   Geoffrey continues, “Thank you for bring (sic) poetry into my life.”  Geoffrey is not only cold and aloof, he is lazy.  Maybe Beth would have done better to shove a little ‘editing’ into his life.

   However, Geoffrey is willing to accept a little poetry in order to woo the lovely Beth and he even condescends to writing his plea under the cover of one of our greatest poets, Mary Oliver.  Geoffrey chose Mary Oliver’s “Dream Work” as the ship to carry his soul to Beth.  Unfortunately Geoffrey’s ship seems to have been well on its way to sinking.

   One has to wonder what Beth did to take poetry into Geoffrey’s life.  Did she read to him by fire light?  Did she give him a book of poetry?  Did Geoffrey even read the book or was he drooling for more of the beautiful Beth reflecting in the light of the fire.

   And, consider this, I also love Mary Oliver, but if I were the one trying to find out what the lovely Beth’s skin looked like in the reflection of a warm fire, I would choose something a little more romantic or even erotic.

   I have to believe that Beth informed Mr. Geoffrey that her favorite poet was Mary Oliver.  Why else would someone without the love of Poetry choose Mary Oliver?  But even if Beth loved Mary Oliver above all other poets, she was still searching for love and would probably choose to put Mary aside for a few moments or maybe for a whole evening of erotic poetry in front of a soft romantic fire.

If I didn’t know and understand poetry and I wanted the lovely Beth I would be more romantic, I would try a little poetry of my own. 

   I have never met any woman who doesn’t appreciate romantic poetry written just for her. 

Come on Geoffrey that one is in seduction “one-0-one”.

   No Geoffrey, you should have gone to the book store and ask the plain girl behind the counter (who is thirsting for love and probably knows as much or more about poetry than Beth) what erotic book of poetry would impress the girl of your dreams.  When the girl behind the counter smiled and blushed, if you told her how pretty her smile was, she would have led you to a book that would have your desirable Beth waiting for you at the fire place.

  Then if you had added a little touch of your own, something you wrote just for her and of course, Geoffrey, I’m telling you that you should have written Beth a real erotic love poem.

I love you Beth…
You are the love of my life

I long to be with you…
You are the scent of roses drifting on the afternoon breeze. 
I long to inhale the aroma of your body…
my eyes ache to dance with yours…
I long to kiss the nape of your neck…to feel your downy hairs quiver to my breath.

I long to see your shy response…
as my eyes wander across the soft fabric of your silk blouse…
and the warm roundness within.
 
I long to see you aroused by the knowledge of my gaze. 
I feel no shame in undressing you
with my eyes and my thoughts.

I long to hold you tight,
 caress your ears with the warmness of my breath
and let our bodies make hot promises to each other

You are the love of my life…

I need you…
I love you

   Maybe, Geoffrey, just maybe Geoffrey, if you had written something like that, Beth would not have dumped you and Mary Oliver.  Yes Geoffrey, Beth dumped both of you.

   I don’t really believe Beth dumped Mary Oliver.  She probably trashed the book because it represented bad memories.  Maybe if your inscription had not been so cold and aloof, Beth could have grown to love you.  Maybe if you had enough warmth to just sign your name as Geoff, maybe Beth would have wanted to let more of her body reflect in the fire light.

   Maybe in the heat of passion, if she could have moaned “oooh Geoff” and not “oh Geoffrey”, maybe Beth would not have left you and Mary Oliver in the used book store.

                                                                                                       gs batty