'You Did Make Me Love You' Poem by Kurt Philip Behm

I was twenty,
and you were nineteen
that day along the mall

When I heard a guitar
from deep inside
that round auditorium hall

Up on stage with legends
Son House, Muddy,
Johnny Winter too

A red haired, freckle faced,
blue eyed girl
commenced to sing the blues

You started with an apology
saying you were outclassed
and over matched

But once that voice
left your heart and flew
….in nothing did you lack

I followed you out
that afternoon
in the late State College Fall

And after fifty years of looking back
every moment
I recall

I walked you to the bus
as you said:
"We're in Harrisburg tonight

"Why don't you come,
it might be fun
from there I catch a flight"

The bus was full,
my eyes looked south
as I hitchhiked down #322

Fate unexplained
life forever changed
—that special gift from you

(Villanova Pennsylvania: March,2018)