Riding Tandem

This poem was written for two dear friends of mine. I met Daniel Caruthers while living in GuangZhou, China. He was staying with friends in ZhuHai and we spend quite a bit of time together. This was just under ten years ago. We have maintained our friendship over the years and he is a "mate" as they say in his native New Zealand.

I first met Jennifer Roberts when she was a baby sitter for my children. I met her again in Macau (China) ten years ago as well. We have been good friends all these years and at this time she also works for me here.

A couple of years ago they met each other on the internet and briefly asked me about each other. I watched their relationship grow and develop until it blossomed into a marriage this past Saturday. Daniel is a bike racer and will be racing in the deaf Olympics this fall in Taiwan. I wrote this poem in honor of their marriage.

RIDING TANDEM

At the parapet she stands

Surveying distant lands

With a steady gaze

The princess is found

Deep in thought

With sparkling blue eyes

Her prince she sought

Many a year

She stood and gazed

Trying to penetrate

Her future’s haze

Not knowing if that prince

Was far or near

Oh for the one

She would hold so dear

She travelled near and far

Serving one and all

Bearing many a heartache and scar

For in giving of self

There is a cost

To oneself

T’is these ups and downs

That a character is made

One of strength that

Will not fade

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Riding upon his steed

Troubles and worries

He doth not heed

Depending on self

Finding his speed

In life

From one far land to another

He rides throughout

In one place only

Doth He find a drought

He rides alone and away

Searching each and every day

For his unknown beloved

He would pray

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One day it came to pass

That they came together

This lad and lass

Forging a love

That would ever last

So many things became clear

As they grew so ever near

Losing so many a fear

What does it mean

To find your love

As if guided

From above

To begin with

You are not alone

You have a new meaning

To the word “home”

There is a person

To share your way

And who will be there for you

When you wake up

To another day

And on from there

Each and every day

Life is too short

To believe this love random

For now in this life

You are riding tandem

-Shiidon, Rahmat 166BE, July 2009