I Need to Tell You

It’s the right time now

grab your jacket

come follow me out the door

there’s something I need to tell you. 

Running to catch up

latched safely on my arm

I can feel her excitement tighten

jog-pulling her forward,

we stop at the big opening. 

Right there on the forest floor

we remove our shoes

barefoot and out of breath

I make sure she’s ready,

so I drop down on one knee

needing to tell her something. 

Her hand was all nervous

there were so many things

I could have asked of her,

she wasn’t exactly sure

why we were here. 

I looked up at her,

I’ve always looked up to her. 

“I’ve been writing

these poems for years now,

nothing truly ever changes

all the pretty things 

I’ve been trying to say

because of you

I’m not sure you’ve noticed. 

There’s something I have to tell you

I need to marry you. 

Nothing else has ever mattered,

I already know

I’ll never love those others

there’s only you.”

I don’t need your answer

because I’m stuck here

there’s something I have to tell you. 

“I need 

to marry 

you.”