Listen to the poem
Bridges of Love
Standing on the riverbank, just a girl of fifteen
A head full of books and a heart full of dreams
From carefree lips, words slid out to the universe
A star shower, dazzling power
No reticence, just innocence
Inspiration, expectation, an incantation
I would marry this man I described that day
He would look just so and act this way
Bridges of wishes, my soul smiled
But destiny has its own rhythm
Weaving its web of pure perfection
Disregarding what once seemed fated
We married others
And our precious families got created
The passing years
Brought joy and tears, hope and fears
Bridges of patience, my soul waited
Until one day, fate had its way
Instant recognition, affection and elation
Fast friends, comfort, ease and admiration
The apple in my mailbox, notes and poetry
Leaning in on New Years Eve, we kissed
Softly, sweetly, passionately and deeply
Simultaneously, scaring me and melting me
Our friendship turned to courtship
Passionate chemistry
Bridges of magic, my soul believed
When exactly did I fall? I can’t recall
For it happened over and over, again and again
Was it when we kissed on the bridge in Central Park?
The joy, the adventure, that illuminating spark
A ritual we carried forth
To kiss on every bridge we crossed
The little bridge right by the garden
And those abroad, none forgotten
Or was it when I rested in the unquestionableness
Of your gentleness, your tenderness, endless respectfulness
The prayer of the girl on the riverbank
Finally made manifest
Bridges of trust, my soul surrendered
Our wedding vows we pledged and then
To each other's children, we pledged again
The celtic knot still circles my finger
All the years, all the love, all the laughter
Beach blanket memories, kids Olympic slumber parties
How you brought everyone into the fold
The fun flowed with the stories you told
Of people from Kentucky
How did we get so lucky
And when the kids were tucked in bed
It was our time
Fine wine, arms and legs and hearts entwined
Conversing, cuddling, laughing, kissing
Watching the Talking Heads, you said
Let’s show them what love looks like
Beauty, Integrity commitment to harmony
Our life is our joy, our love is our journey
Bridges of intimacy, our souls revealed
There are no words for the magnitude of my gratitude
For the life I live with you
How you love me so sweetly, unconditionally and completely
And as we walk together, into forever
May our days be filled with immeasurable pleasure
I wish for you, to be, to have, to do
Anything and everything your heart could treasure
I want to see you in our garden, your favorite straw hat
I’ll plant this while you water that
To give you the gift that you always gave me
The space and freedom for you to just be
Keep your pact with me
And kiss me on every bridge to eternity
Always a metaphor for so much more
Bridges connecting us deep in our core
Bridges of trust and fun, reverence and devotion
Bridges of love that will never be broken
And our souls will soar
Bridges of Love Poem & Painting Reveal
The Story of Bridges of Love
(From Mikki to Art)
Mikki’s project was a gift to her husband Art for their 25th wedding anniversary when they were planning to renew their vows. She shared with me their journey of twists and turns that brought them to today. It was a true love story.
When Mikki was fifteen, she and her highschool boyfriend were on the bank of a river breaking up because he was leaving for college. It was not a painful breakup at all. Instead they shared their fantasies about who they would each end up marrying one day. She gave the details of what this future husband would look like and how he would be. When she married her first husband, that same ex-boyfriend called her and asked if it was the man she had described that day on the river. She laughed at the ridiculousness of holding on to such childhood foolishness. Her first husband was nothing like that man. He and Mikki had two girls together but it was not a happy marriage and eventually it ended. It was when she was finally with Art that she realized he matched exactly all the details of the man she described at fifteen.
The story of Mikki and Art is a story of second chances, a story of soulmates coming together and blending their families later in life. They had an instant connection when they met, and built a strong friendship before they ever dated. When they did start to date it was electric and passionate. Art was romantic. He left notes and poetry in her mailbox at school (they were both teachers). When they took a trip to NYC, they went to the famous bridge that couples kiss on.
There they not only kissed, but promised to kiss on every bridge they crossed from then forward. Twenty five years later they are still stopping to kiss on the smallest to the largest bridges. Even their dogs are trained to sit and wait at the top of a bridge. It is the small details of life that make up romance. Just watching the talking heads on tv as their kids had a slumber party and played a made up game they called Olympics was romantic because they were together and in love. Planting in her garden while her husband waters is a piece of heaven. Mikki recounted so many sweet moments that it was hard to choose which ones to use. I squeezed in what I could about them, their beautiful family and her wishes for her and her beloved's future.
When it was time to start the painting, of course we knew it was going to have a bridge in it. She also requested it be on a smaller canvas but gave me the final say. Mikki had told me her husband loved the mountains and she loved the water. I wanted to use a larger canvas and had a whole vision in my head of the painting. So I pressed forward with my own agenda, including a small stream but ignoring mountains completely. After all, Mikki had given me free reign over all the decisions. The painting simply wouldn’t get off the ground. I tried and tried and painted and whited over and started again. Then one morning (mornings are a good time for me to tap into the magical) I woke up and my first thought was “She wanted the smaller canvas, give her the smaller canvas!!!”. I pulled the smaller canvas out and things started to flow. And being in that flow… there came the mountains and the water.
The painting and poetry hang in Mikki and Art’s bedroom. One piece on each side of their bed. It is my hope that it will be a visual and lyrical testament to their love that opens their hearts for the rest of their days.