A get-together in a hall,
A sort of party, not a ball.
  People gather there for food and drinks.
He sees a face he knows so well.
A vision of the deepest hell.
  He stares at her and this is what he thinks:

She still has eyes to pierce my soul,
A heart as dark as blackest coal.
  Or am I simply being prejudiced?
She once told me I'd die alone,
A birthday card left by my phone.
  And yes, it was unsigned, but I just guessed

I miss those days of deep despair.
I long for days with her in here,
  The way she'd sell my shoes and then she'd lie.
Her lies make up the longest list.
My birthday party too, she missed.
  She said her aunt was sick and might soon die.

But she was in a pub that night
Trying to instigate a fight
  Between two friends, about a missing key.
She cried when I called her a fake,
She said she lied for my heart's sake.
  When I said sorry she just laughed at me.

She told my friends I stole a car
And crashed before I got too far.
  She used my credit card to buy a cow.
She made up stories many times.
In her telling of my crimes,
  There were always tears when she told how.

We went out for a meal one night,
A restaurant, in candle light.
  We left at ten and went back to her place.
Her voice rejoicing in its sting,
She dropped the gold engagement ring,
  And laughed a bitter laugh into my face.

And here she is again right now.
I wish my brain would just allow
  My heart to have its way and talk to her.
Damn it all, we have to meet.
I'll be crushed beneath her feet,
  But after all that's what my heart is for.

He goes to her and stands nearby.
She smiles and waves when she says hi.
  He just nods at her and looks away.
She says it's great to see him here.
And asks him then to stay quite near.
  And they should talk, they have so much to say.

But he stays quiet for so long,
She asks him then if something's wrong.
  He says, "I can't forget all that you've done."
He mentions cows and diamond rings.
And all the hurt her presence brings.
  But she speaks with a voice that's full of sun:

All these things are in the past.
I've left behind my wrongs, at last.
  My other evil half is gone for good.
I love the sun and flowers in hats.
I've set a home up for sick cats.
  I care for homeless cats because we should.

He thinks about this latest twist.
He's starting now to grasp the gist.
  In his mind he wonders what to say.
The days of deep despair are past.
I knew that they could never last.
  The life I lived and loved has gone away.

And yes it would be nice again.
But this cat-lover I could win.
  A life that I could love and cherish too.
It's just three weeks since we last met,
But in that time she's died a death,
  And come to life again as someone new.

He smiles at her and she smiles too.
The darkened skies again are blue.
  They talk about her cats and things for hours.
They leave the hall, go down the hill,
Smiling at each other still.
  She stops to talk to cats or pick wild flowers.