Love’s Promise

Sundays   Daddy   ever the romantic 

brings out Bobo's brass candlesticks 

strikes a match   my excitement soars 

I'll put on some dinner music   he says

my first dance partner when I was six 

we take the classic pose   straight back 

a whirlwind of color on the green linoleum 

sidestep shuffle   our feet in playful conversation

when mother calls out dinner's ready 

he holds out his arm   pulls out my chair 

his favorite roast lamb with Reese's mint jelly 

served up by my mother   pure sugar on my tongue