Date:         Wed, 15 Jan 1997 13:31:47 -0800
Subject:      SUB: Valentine's Contest: "Surrender": Poetry

There's still time to send your entry! Check out
http://web.mit.edu/mbarker/www/val97/val.html for details.

Please reserve all critiques on contest entries until after Valentine's
Day!
************************************************************************

Surrender

A long time ago, a young maiden met
a man who would brighten her days
She knew she could never become his wife;
still, she loved him - in so many ways.
Determined, she was, to fight against Love
'til one day he took control
and sent her whirling, falling fast
down to the depths below.
She landed firmly on her feet
and, frustrated, demanded "Why?
How could I not have foreseen this happening?"
She searched for light from the sky.
Forever impatient, she pondered her fate
and waited for rescue to arrive;
then, to her disbelief, her true love
had appeared by her side.
"I also," he whispered, "fought my love
for you, until I could no longer
And now I am here! beside you, my Heart,
Alas, is it a wonder?
For whosoever could be this foolish
to fight Love as we have done
and yet find ourselves here together.  We must
admit it:  Love has won.
Love has thrown us together, however unfair,
and we're despairingly left in the dark
to forever seek light from the sky above;
tell me, how much sorrow will we let him impart?"
The young maiden wept, as she stared into
his eyes, and saw that he
held a love that was deep and true for her;
yet was just as confused as she.
"My love for you," she could finally admit,
"has controlled my every thought:
My hopes, my dreams, my every aspiration
has been due to this love I fought."
"Then take my hand," he asked of her,
as he kissed her tender brow
"We'll fight no more, you and I;
we'll give to Love all we're allowed."
With their surrender, the lovers found
they were in the depths no longer.
The darkness had vanished, they were free of sorrow,
and were left only with each other.
"How do we keep from losing our love
to Doubt?" she asked of her lover.
"My Heart, Sweet Heart," he promised her,
"you must know there can be no other.
If Doubt should arise and demand our attention,
hold fast to this love we share
and know, in your heart - anytime, anyplace,
I will find a way to be there."
They each understood that the road ahead
would be paved with pleasure and pain
but in admitting their love for each other, they knew
they would share with Love a great gain.



-------------------------------------------
From such mistakes are flamewars made.

Michelle
winebird@inreach.com