Nicole Poem by James Howden

Burning embers of virgin love heighten and ascend,
transition into adulthood, one summery weekend.
A time long gone, but always near, always close at heart,
my birth to manhood, holiday fling, doomed from the very start.
Family holiday by the sea, Scottish seaside town,
in the penny arcade I was, just putting the pennies down.
In she walked, angel in red, little brother by her side,
couldn't take my eyes off her, even though I tried.
She caught my gaze, embarrassed flush, smile comes back my way,
eternity spent, just standing there, thinking of what to say.
Courage comes, I walk on up, I smile and ask her name,
give her brother pennies galore, to go and play a game.
She takes her brother back now, to her parents on the beach,
we walk and talk, laugh and play, her hand I make a reach.
Now hand in hand, we stroll along, strange feelings take control;
I float on air, with gormless grin, as I walk with my Nicole.
After disco dancing frenzy, and moonlit kiss on sand,
I walk her back to caravan, head on shoulder, hand in hand.
We plan to meet the next day, by the children's penny arcade,
another kiss, a fumbled feel, nothing more is said.
The next day’s even better, the best day of my life,
till what she suddenly tells me, cuts through me like a knife.
She’s leaving me this day, her family's going back,
and the realisation hits me, with an almighty blinding whack.
She senses my deep sorrow, takes me to the dunes below,
where we consummate our teenage love, before she has to go.
I watch now as she's leaving, passing in the car,
my heart ripped out, teary eyed, with first emotional scar.
Those days will never leave me, never fade away,
my Nicole is always with me, always here to stay.