The One Poem by Herbert Nehrlich

It was not my idea,
to meet with you.
I did, though things
were helter skelter,
as you know.
I needed teeth,
and slimming down,
I'd let myself relax
and go, all caused by stress
with eating sausages
and bread,
and Sauerbraten too,
potato dumplings, made at home,
all shirts had shrunk,
due to a lack of skill
and here you were,
demanding that I show!

I was a feather on the very day
when you insisted that we meet,
and to appease you I said Yeah,
I'll pick up a small part
and it is close enough
so let us meet for tea,
or coffee, whatever turns you on.
No alcohol as I do drive,
so it was set, that awkward date
and it was tempting to retreat.

I saw you, standing there,
first thoughts are true my mother said,
we met and you, a stranger placed
a kiss upon my lips. Yes I was stunned.
You handed me a diary of sorts
and it was small and made of gold,
the H was carved into the title page
and you had touched with dewey hands
the first few pages, to initiate.
And then you told me what it meant
and what it was. I could not really speak.
At the kaleidoscope, in the pitch dark,
I took the liberty to say I seek,
and I was lost without, and up the creek.
It was an avalanche from there, I think
bizarre is not the word that does explain,
yet we are lingering and tethering on the brink
while feeling all of it and laughing at the pain.
.