Yes

by ALAN OCHELTREE JR.

I sat with her on the coast
of a sapphire sea.
As the deep saffron sun sets
The red-violet sky becomes our backdrop.
I look into her chocolate eyes;
Leaning forward, just slightly
to give her a hint of what I had in my mind.
She understood.
As her carnelian lips touched mine
I felt the unyielding love she had for me;
we needed each other.

Our lips separated,
looking down at the arsenic rock
upon which we were perched
she told me she loved me.
I touched her chin ever so slightly
just so she would look up at me.
In a soft voice I stated, “I know.”
I reached into my pocket,
pulling out a small bistre box.
Inside contained a white gold engagement ring
with a diamond and two rubies.

As I opened the box and uttered the famous words,
“Will you marry me?”
Her eyes lightened, to a soft fallow;
and a tear started to form.
Her cheeks,
which were previously fair,
turned carmine.
With little hesitation
she said, “Yes.”