what she wanted
.
because this is what she wanted
she would will it into truth
this is what she wanted
on a summer’s day, he’d knelt down
on a summer’s day
he had begged, he had nearly begged
and she said yes
she said yes
this is what she wanted
such a good man, steady and true
such a good man
he would give, he would give all he had
and he loved her
he loved her
this is what she wanted
because this is what she wanted
she would will it into truth
that this is what she wanted
.
♦
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steadily skipping stones 
My daughter is getting married next weekend, so this is very timely! Lovely poem.
Hey, that’s great! I hope everything goes very smoothly – make sure you take the time to enjoy it!
I was curious as to how people would interpret this one.
Maybe I’m off, but the bride to be seems reluctant, as if she knows it’s not really what she wants, but she’s going to convince herself that it is IS what she wants, that she’s going to will her happy ever after into existence.
That’s how I saw it, except in my heart I know you can’t will that kind of thing into being. But I have certainly wanted something that bad, that I might have been willing to take what I could get, because I didn’t think I would ever get closer than that. You’re always sorry in the end, though. I feel sorry for the guy in this poem. He has heartache in his future.
It’s not worth it. Like you said, “you can’t will that kind of thing into being.” I think a lot of people have settled, especially in the past, when marriages were based more on security or social position. As women, I think we’re better off now, even if it means we remain unmarried rather than stuck in a loveless union.
Agreed! Which is why I’m single today.
I thought it was scary! For a lot of young women out there, it is all about the wedding. I thought your choice of photo was perfect.
It is (to me, cause I know what I intended when I wrote it) a little scary and dark. I actually wrote it in the car – on the recorder, no driving and writing 🙂 – in response to a painting or drawing. It was a blog thing where everyone writes about the picture. It was a long time ago, and I never posted it. It was a girl, seen from behind, standing in a kind of field and looking at a house. It seemed a rather forlorn scene to me.
My photo is of my sister, but the poem doesn’t apply to her, thank goodness.
Actually, I think you can will it into being. You’re wonderful poem spoke eerily to me of how badly I wanted to be married (many years ago) and then I got what I asked for. oops. Happy ending, we are divorced now and better friends than ever. whew.
It’s so good that you could remain friends! Some people are better as friends than mates.
I think there are some things you can create within yourself, some feelings you can practice or focus on until they come naturally. But I also think that there are times when you can’t. I think if you know from the beginning that it is the wrong person, that you don’t love that person, then it would be exceedingly difficult to manufacture a deep love. You could grow fond, you could develop respect and appreciation, and you could grow love of a kind. But it would be a tamer love, based on those other things. I don’t know if you could will yourself to develop a passionate love for someone, a love full of fire. Of course, not everyone gets that kind of love anyway.
I’ve always believed that better to remain single and happy, than to will a relationship into being. I’ve known of women who do it because of pressure from relatives, family and themselves, and most of the endings haven’t been good. I guess it take courage to be true to ourselves.
That’s a great point, and something to remember: “it takes courage to be true to ourselves.” It is way easier to just give in, isn’t it?
I think you could apply that to most areas of our lives, not just relationships. We can wish we were right for a job, but you can’t always make that happen just because you really want it.