Love Poem: Ain'T Barbie
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Written by: Franklin Price

Ain'T Barbie

Ain't Barbie
By Franklin Price
02/24/2022

Barbara Ione Popovits was your given, maiden name.
Trim and slim in stature, a little wild, not ever tame
You were beautiful to look upon, independent, brave and free 
Ain't Barbie was your moniker. You were not a doll to me.

I asked you if you'd marry me; change your given name to Price.
I felt we shared a common bond. You said “yes, that would be nice”
Your intelligence superior. Your love for me was true and pure.
You were my partner through thick and thin, through red roses and manure

You never ever wavered. If you did, you never told 
Your personality, for me, was opinionated; bold.
When you chose to speak your mind, howl at the moon and bay,
You were correct, most all the time, “I may be wrong”, you'd often say.

You were very good at managing, as we moved from tide to tide
To manage, not my forte. I went along just for the ride.
When we retired, fifteen years ago, you said, “It's now your turn,
I'll keep the books, as always, but the food is yours to burn”.

We shared the cleaning of the house, and the washing of the clothes
I mowed the grass, you kept the plants, when it came time for us to doze,
We went to bed together, went to sleep, sometimes we'd perk
We could sleep late in the mornings, did not have to go to work.

We had moved to North Carolina. It was only you and I
The hustle bustle left behind us. We never ever questioned why.
We had some friends who joined us, but who stayed for just awhile.
Wasn't quite what they expected. So they left us with a smile.

We continued on with living; still enjoyed our company. 
Were looking forward to our old age; as this year broke, was not to be.
For two years we fought your cancer, while the covid kept us home
Could not see our friends and family. Could not ride around or roam.

On January eighteenth, with the first snow falling fast 
The good Lord came and took you. Your pain, in life, was gone at last.
You are still here, inside me, in my loving memory
When God decides, that I should join you, that is the place that I will be.

Until then I'll keep on keeping on, do my best to make you proud
Spread your love for me to others, helping someone in the crowd.