THE IRISH GUARDSMAN


I SAW HIM OUTSIDE PALLISTERS, HE WEREN'T HALF TALL AND PROUD,
IN HIS IRISH GUARDS SMART UNIFORM, HE STOOD OUT FROM THE CROWD.
HIS PAL ERIC INTRODUCED US , IN A CASUAL SORT OF WAY,
IT SEEMS THIS HANDSOME LAD WAS SAM, HE'D COME HOME ON LEAVE THAT DAY.

I THINK I KNEW RIGHT THERE, AT FIFTEEN, HE WAS THE MAN FOR ME,
WE CHATTED FOR A MINUTE, THEN THEY LEFT, REGRETFULLY.
BUT WE BUMPED INTO EACH OTHER, THE NEXT SATURDAY BY CHANCE,
DOWN AT THE CUBAN BALLROOM, AND HE ASKED ME FOR A DANCE.

I CAN STILL RECALL THAT FIRST NIGHT, MY MEMORIES NEVER BLURRED,
HE HELD ME CLOSE UP TO HIS CHEST, WE NEVER SPOKE A WORD.
HE ASKED ME 'CAN I WALK YOU HOME' I SAID 'AYE THAT WOULD BE GRAND'
AND AS WE WALKED UP NEWS STREET, HE SHYLY TOOK MY HAND.

AS MY PALM SLIPPED INTO HIS IT FITTED PERFECTLY,
IT FELT COMFORTABLE AND RIGHT LIKE IT WAS MEANT TO BE,
I EXPECTED HIM TO ASK ME OUT, AND WERE READY TO SAY YES,
I THOUGHT, I'LL WEAR MY NEW BLACK PAPENT SHOES, UN MY BLUE SILK PAISLEY DRESS.

BUT HE JUST SAID,' PERHAPS I'LL SEE YOU WHEN I'M HOME ON LEAVE AGAIN,
'AYE ' SAID I ' PERHAPS THAR MIGHT' TRYING TO FORCE A GRIN.
I MUST ADMIT I FAIR LOOKED FORWARD TO THE TIMES HE CAME ON LEAVE,
BUT I NEVER LET HIM SEE IT, NO. I DIN'T WEAR MY HEART ON MI SLEEVE.

WE NEVER GOT COURTING, HE DIDN'T WANT TO GET TIED DOWN,
MY MAM SAID THAT I WAS MUCH TOO YOUNG, FOR A LONG WHITE WEDDING GOWN.
WHEN HE GOT DEMOBBED, HE JOINED THE NAVY, AND I THOUGHT THAT WAS THE END,
BUT THOUGH WE WENT OUR SEPARATE WAYS, SAM ALWAYS STAYED MY FRIEND.

SEVERAL TIMES I WAS PROPOSED TO, BUT THEY DIDN'T PASS THE TEST,
AND DECIDED THAT IF I COULDN'T HAVE HIM, I WOULDN'T HAVE SECOND BEST.
SO IN LEAP YEAR NINETEEN SIXTY, I SET ABOUT MY TASK,
UN I WENT AND POPPED THE QUESTION, HE SAID' I THOUGHT YOU'D NEVER ASK.

IT'S BEEN FORTY YEARS, SINCE I PUT ON THIS PRECIOUS WEDDING RING,
IT HASN'T BEEN A BED OF ROSES, BUT I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING.
WE'VE GOT FOUR GREAT KIDS, ALL DOING WELL, NOW GRAND KIDS ON THE WAY,
I WONDER WHERE WE WOULD HAVE BEEN, IF I HADN'T PROPOSED THAT DAY.

WE'VE HAD IT ALL, THE FUN, THE LOVE, THE BATTLES HELL FOR LEATHER,
BUT WE'RE LIKE A PAIR OF BEDROOM CURTAINS, ALWAYS GETTING DRAWN TOGETHER.
UN WHEN I LOOK AT HIM, IT'S NOT A MAN OF MIDDLE AGE I SEE.
BUT A HANDSOME IRISH GUARDSMAN, THAT'S WHAT HE'LL ALWAYS BE TO ME…..

By Sheila Betts.


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