First Love

And so I will fine tooth my pencil

to speak about ‘first love’.

Perhaps start on a tropical island beach

where she would watch me play a Spanish guitar

and in all the mystery of whom we were

my heart jumped a beat

and my mouth parched for water.

He parents were on the beach blanket

and they were nice to me.

She was staying in a high rise hotel

and as far as I could tell

she had a genuine interest in me.

I called her coconut girl

I'd climb a palm tree and tried to please.

One day when I went back up that tree

It started to rain down hard.

From all the way above in the palm leaves

I could see her leaving.

I remained in the tree because I was pretty dry

but something told me, she was gone

and I would never see her again.

Years had past

and I almost forgot her completely.

When I was at a pawnshop

I found that old guitar.

I picked it up and played it

and it sounded just like it did back then.

I asked the owner that I wanted it

and how much would it be.

He said hold on and let me ask my daughter

and she came out of the back office.

I had this guitar

in the shop when my dad opened it up

and I never wanted to sell it.

I asked her why.

She said she once met a boy on an island beach

and he’d to sing to her playing this guitar.

I stopped and stared at her.

She said why are you looking at me like that?

I replied, “I was that boy”.

She went on "It was a life time ago and I am so sorry

but I tried to find you

when you left the guitar on the beach".

I replied: "I thought you left to the States”.

She said “I did but a week after I last saw you.

I hung onto this guitar as my last memory of you.

I am so sorry".