It’s less than two hours into 2022
I’m playing guitar outside under the public shelter by the beach
and out of the corner of my eye
I see two silhouettes – a man and woman walk out of the night
and I thought to play them a song I thought they might know
Time of Your Life (Good Riddance) by Green Day
I played that song as well as I have ever played it
I saw the man get down on one knee
then I looked away
the same reaction I have to passing car accidents on the highway
I’m no rubbernecker
I have seen marriage proposals go south
but when I was done playing the song the man yelled to me, “She said yes!”
“Congratulations!” I automatically yelled back
and then his silhouette walks across the shelter until it appears in the flesh before me
sitting cold and alone two hours after midnight New Year’s Eve
and I get a look at this kid now under the light
and though he is sporting a moustache
he can’t be more than nineteen years old
and now I feel both flattered and guilty that I could have helped inspire the kid’s
proposal
and I look at the kid’s face
and he is smiling like I can’t remember the last time I smiled like that
and either he knows something I don’t
or he is an idiot
and when I see his baby face in the light thanking me
for playing one of his favorite songs
I wanted to apologize and warn him that he was making a terrible mistake
and he shouldn’t let simple sentimentalities such as New Year’s Eve
and a silly song by Green Day define the rest of his life
then I see the young man’s smile
bright as the last star to cling to the dawning sky
and I suspend disbelief for the sake of romance, New Year’s
and the hope in this young man’s eyes reminds me why I write poetry in the first place.
cottonbombs 