Sheena, my Bonnie gal.

 Sheena, my Bonnie gal.

I found the prettiest girl I ever seen on a cold Winter day in 1978. She had auburn hair, golden brown eyes and the skin of snow. I told her the same night I met her. I love you so. She told me, please be kind and don’t break my heart. You soldiers believe your own lies. A soldier promise is rarely true.

She submitted willingly and I did not take everything. I would read poetry to her when she took her long baths and I would wash her hair, her feet and her back. I would tell her.

“My Bonnie gal, I love you so. My Scottish beauty, you make my heart dance. I love the whiteness of your skin and I love your dangerous smile. I love being inside your eyes.”

She would tell me. You promise me everything and you wait. I traced the softness of her skin with slow and thankful hands. I told her. When we marry in the fall, we will make love till we cannot. We will have ten babies and I will love you forever and a day. We will marry in September and you are my treasure and blessing dear Sheena. She smiled and she whispered. A promise is a promise.

I allowed tomfoolery, war and youth to separate us. Dear Sheena was right. A soldier believed his own lies, a soldier promise is rarely true. Now the old man looked at old photos, reflex on the prettiest girl, he had ever known. He told the whiskey. You are my only regret, I can’t forget…

Dancing Coyote