This section contains a selection of poems written to my lovely wife Mary, my own Rose of Tralee.
Do You Know? (26th June 1992)
Do You Remember? (26th April 1995 - a look back at when we met)
How I Feel (just because she's beautiful)
Like,... (an attempt to explain in comparative terms just how I feel)
Mary, My Love (written for her Birthday in 1997)
Mary (19th March 1991)
My Love For You (written as the introduction to a bound book of my love poems that I had made especially for Mary on our 12th wedding Anniversary)
My Love (written on our 7th wedding Anniversary)
Ode to My Woman (written one Sunday as I waited for her to finish work)
Selection (verse written in Birthday cards etc over the years)
Selection 2 (as above)
Sleeping Beauty (One morning as I was leaving for work I was struck by her beauty when I looked in to say goodbye and saw that she was sleeping)
They Say,...But I Know.. (a change of style, the words just seemed to flow)
To My Wife (written because the words just came into my head whilst driving along in my van one afternoon!)
Tonight (On the occasion of our first night alone in many years)
With You (written just after the 10th anniversary of our meeting)
You (not the usual romantic words, but the images are strong)
THE POEMS
It's been seven years since that wedding bell
I wonder, my love, can you tell?
The impact you've had upon my life,
since you first became my wife.
Can you tell, my heart's a-flutter,
every time I hear you utter,
those few words you always say,
at the closing of the day.
When you turn over and say goodnight,
then I kiss you and squeeze you tight.
I turn away and go to sleep,
wrapped in your love so deep.
While asleep I begin to dream,
and wonder, can it seem,
the same to you, as it does to me,
that we two will always be.
I can't imagine not being together,
I know what we have will last forever,
our two spirits and hearts entwine,
I know you will always be mine.
Seven years, so far, of married bliss,
sealed every night with a loving kiss.
Many years yet, left to go,
I know in my heart that this is so.
I need you so with all my heart,
I know we two could never part,
sometimes I may seem contrary,
but I shall always love you, Mary.
Darren 15th July 1992
An
Anthology of
My Love For You
This book contains my thoughts in verse and rhyme,
Gathered all together over a long period of time,
And when you read them together it will become quite clear,
Just how I feel about having you near.
When you should read the words I write,
Do you understand the feelings they might,
Be trying to convey, trying to express,
My feelings that on you I am trying to impress.
It has been twelve years since the day we wed,
But I remember very clearly the way that you looked when you
said,
That you would take me as your husband from that day hence,
Even though you wasn't sure if it made any sense.
I have loved you from that day to this, more than I could ever
say,
I want you to know that, on this very special day,
I wouldn't change even one minute from my life,
In all the years since you became my wife.
The language doesn't have the words I need to tell,
How wonderful I feel to be under your spell,
But when I think about it just three words will do,
The three little words, I Love You.
Darren 2nd July 1997
Since I met you my life has been
filled with your love and beauty.
When I am close to you it's hard
to describe how good I feel.
When you smile my whole world
is filled with sunshine.
Your eyes sparkle like the the most
precious of diamonds, and your
whole face lights up with their
brilliance.
When you are sad the world
seems dark and grey, and I feel like
the world is balanced on my
shoulders.
Then you smile again and I could
walk on the clouds because I feel
so light and uplifted.
I will love you for all eternity,
Yours for evermore,
Darren
XXXXXX
Mary
At first, I knew not, what you meant to me,
then suddenly, I knew we were meant to be,
When my heart soared on the wings of a Dove,
lifted by our first kiss, my love.
I knew then, I loved you like no other,
I needed you for more than just a lover,
I had to share with you, my life,
I wanted you with me, as my wife.
At first our passion, like fire, burned
We went to heaven and haven't returned
and tho' that fire may burn no longer,
it's replaced by one that's even stronger.
I want to be with you forever
will we part? I know we'll never,
for, my love, you are meant for me,
my life, my love, my wife, Mary.
Darren 19th March 1991
A selection of prose ( from cards etc.)
I've loved you since we first met,
long before that kiss I can't forget,
you turned to me and melted my heart,
and on this journey we did start.
With each passing day my love grows stronger,
and as our memories grow longer,
I will look back down the years, and say,
I wouldn't have had things any other way.
You fill every day with a love so true,
which is why, my darling, I love you.
I look into your eyes and it takes me back,
to when we began on love's great track,
and makes me feel all warm inside,
I'm so glad I took the ride.
For me there could be no other,
I'll be your forever lover,
I'll love you until you're old and grey,
hang about, isn't that today?
Mary, I love you every minute,
I love you every day,
I love you more than ever,
In each and every way.
My life revolves around you,
like the Earth around the Sun,
you light my life like the sunrise,
and I love you more with each one.
A Rose from me,
to my Rose of Tralee.
With all my love from the bottom of my heart,
I know we two will never part.
When you are with me, my heart is never still,
I love you darling, I always will. (31/10/89)
Ode
to my woman
As I sit all alone and think of my Rose,
I’m suddenly moved to write her some prose.
She has no idea just how much I do miss her,
Or how much, right now, I wish I could kiss her.
She’s the one who makes up the whole of my life,
She is the one that I took as my wife.
And with every minute that we are apart,
I think of my love and am warmed in my heart.
Sometimes I just want to be able to show her,
How happy I’ve been since I first came to know her.
I wonder does she truly understand,
Just how I feel when she takes my hand.
Does she tremble inside like I do, when,
We’re lying in the dark and I taste her kisses again.
Sometimes I just listen to her breathe,
and I never want the moment to leave.
And when the Dawn brings the night to a close,
I just lie and watch my beautiful Rose.
She isn’t aware that I watch like I do,
But I know she knows my Love is True.
And my Love will grow stronger with the years,
Along the way there may be some tears,
But with my Mary, as my Wife,
I know I’ve got a Wonderful Life!
Darren 14/2/99
Sleeping
Beauty
When I looked down at you
sleeping peacefully I was again struck
by how beautiful you are.
I wanted to lean down to kiss you
but didn't, for fear of waking you and
spoiling the moment.
There is an air of serenity and
gentleness about you that I have never
noticed in anyone else, and I realised just
why I love you so.
You truly are the most beautiful
woman I have ever seen.
I shall love you forever,
and a day,
with all my heart.
Darren
XXXXXXX
A selection of prose ( from cards etc.)
Very strong is the love I have for you
Always it will grow and grow
Longer than 'til the end of time
Ever will I want you to know
Never will I stop loving you
There will be no bounds
I will love you all I can
Now and forever always
Endless is my love for you
Loving you is my life's work,
from my task I shall never shirk,
no days off sick,
nor holiday,
in fact, I will love you
every day.
Now we've nearly nine years past,
you're still the one who makes my heart beat fast.
When I feel the warmth of your embrace,
or I look upon your face,
the fire in my heart is burning bright,
you, my darling, set me alight.
You have the only key to my heart,
and I will tell you for a start,
there is something special in all you do,
which is why, my darling, I Love You.
To my wife
When I'm with you my heart fills with joy,
like a child at Christmas with each brand new toy.
Your kisses make me burn like fire,
and fill my heart full of desire.
But there's more to you, than that, you see,
because you've become a part of me,
A part that I can't live without,
A part I need, and yet, I doubt,
that you realise that you mean so much,
Perhaps I don't make it clear, as such.
You gave me daughter, called Siobhan,
who lights our lives, like the Sun at Dawn.
But to me you're not just a mother,
first, and foremost, you're my lover.
Sometimes you annoy me and make me mad,
things are said, and I feel bad,
but through it all my love is ever strong,
I'll always love you, and I'll always long,
to hold you tight, despite your thoughts to the contrary,
You are my life, My Wife, Mary.
Darren
It would be an easy trap to fall into,
and think of you as just my wife,
To neglect to remember that you are,
the one true love of my life,
To forget how it is you make me feel so fine,
And ignore the warmth I feel because you are mine.
How much I love all the things you say and do,
Thankyou my Darling just for being You.
It's about twelve years now since our first meal,
Back then it seemed like it was such a big deal,
We never could have guessed what it might lead to,
But after all these years my love for you is still true.
We've got this brief chance to be on our own together,
And cherish our love that is going to last forever,
To enjoy this coming night of music and wine,
And fall in love yet again while we talk and dine.
Darren 8th November 1996
Like.....
Like a thief in the night you came into my life,
And stole away my heart and soon became my wife.
Like the autumn grapevine our hearts became entwined,
As relentless thoughts of you began to pervade my mind.
Like the bright sun in the first days of spring,
You light my way with the love you bring.
Like the rays of the sun at midday,
You warm my heart with the things you say.
Like the Daffodils and Bluebells in the morning dew,
You colour my life in every hue.
Like watching waves, rippling on the shore,
I know we are forever more.
Like the thrill you get from a mountain view,
Is the thrill I get from loving you.
Like listening to birds singing in a tree,
Is the lift you give to me.
There's one last thing I have to say,
I keep loving you more each day.
Darren 12th June 1996
They say...but I know...
They say that love is blind,
But I know that can't be true,
My eyes have been wide open,
Since the day that I met you.
They say that beauty is only skin deep,
But I know that can't be so,
For there's nobody more beautiful inside,
Than the woman I've come to know.
They say that love can't last forever,
But I know that can't be right,
For my love for you grows stronger each day,
And stronger still, night by night.
They say that with time the passion wanes,
But I know that just won't be,
For every time that I hold you near,
You light a fire within me.
They say you can't judge a book by its cover,
I know who said that lied,
For you are the most beautiful woman I know,
And even more beautiful inside.
They say a woman can't be trusted,
But I know I could trust you with my life,
In fact I have never felt so secure,
Since the day you became my wife.
They say that when you fall in love you always get hurt,
But I know that doesn't apply to me and you,
For nothings as good as just having you near,
Or how good I feel because of the things you do.
Darren 27th June 1997
Do you remember?
Do you remember when we first met,
Do you remember how your heart was set,
On not being another conquest for me,
And how I told you to 'just wait and see',
Do you remember how your heartbeats missed,
On that day when we first kissed.
Do you remember when you first found,
How much you needed me to be around.
Do you remember how much in love we fell,
Do you remember how I would tell,
You that I would love you all your days,
How you would be my love for always.
Do you remember the doubts you had,
How you thought that you would end up sad.
Do you remember the day we wed,
The things we did, the things we said.
Now we're nearly eleven years past,
And how those years have flown so fast.
And yet, my darling, I don't forget,
How we were when we first met.
I love you more than even then,
I need you around me even when,
Sometimes we don't always show it,
I know that we both still know it,
We will be together for eternity,
The two of us, You and Me.
Darren 26th April 1995
Do
you know?
Do you know how much I love you?
Do you know how much I care?
Do you know how good I feel,
when I wake to find you there?
Do you know how much I need you,
how I long to hold you tight?
Do you know how much I love to have you close,
in the middle of the night?
Do you know how much I love to kiss your lips,
to look into your eyes, so blue?
Do you know how much you mean to me?
Do you know that I love you?
Do you know how I love to be in your embrace,
surrounded by your love?
Do you know how my heart soars,
as on the wings, of a dove?
Do you know how I love your smile,
that lights a fire within your eyes?
Do you know how my heart beats,
to the rhythm of your sighs?
Do you know how much you are a part of me,
how much meaning you give to life?
Do you know how much I will always cherish,
the fact that you are my wife?
Do you know that you are the one,
that I couldn't live without?
Do you know I shall always be with you?
Of that, my love, there is no doubt.
Do you know I shall always love you,
that there will be no parting of the ways?
Do you know I shall always be with you,
until the ending of our days?
Darren 26th June 1992
You
When I die, if they should cut open my heart,
And gently pull the two halves apart,
They would find your name written inside,
In big red letters six inches wide.
You captured my heart when you entered my life,
You captured my soul when you became my wife,
Ever since then you've been part of my mind,
And if they cut open my head I'm sure they would find,
Your name would be written inside there too,
All over my brain, and all the way through,
So there's something that I want you to know,
Something I would like to say to you, so
I love you with all of me whole,
I love you with my heart, mind, body and soul.
Darren 11/12/96
With you
We met on the anniversary of your birth,
Thirty six years you had been on this earth,
But, for all that time you had been around,
Of you, had I heard not a sound.
But on that fateful day we met,
A day I shall surely never forget,
You bought cakes, full of cream,
and since then I have lived a dream.
I had never believed in fate,
But now I would not hesitate,
To say that it was meant to be,
That you would give yourself to me.
Now you are ten years older,
But my love for you does not grow colder,
With every year gone by, it has grown,
Since you became my very own.
Being with you keeps me content,
Fate has decreed that it was meant.
So though sometimes we don't get on,
I know with you I do belong,
I know I will never know despair,
As long as I know that you are there.
I love you now as I always will,
More and more each year, until,
I can love no more, and then,
I'll start to love you all over again.
Darren 19th July 1994