Picture this scene at the end of the day
When the farm boy is resting from cutting the hay.
Both tired and dusty, his mind would wander
To the girl of his dreams, who lived over yonder.
Too shy to talk and unable to write
How could he win her, think as he might.
On a cloudless night as he looked at the moon
It came into his head that he could carve her a spoon.
First came the hearts to say ‘I love you’
Then came the bells to say ‘Marry me, do’.
Each night thereafter, he’d look at the moon
And think of symbols to add to the spoon.
A horseshoe for luck and the joy it would bring
For hopefully now, she’ll be wearing his ring.
The key says my heart is safely with you
And diamonds for the wealth they’ll hope to accrue.
The twisted stem shows two lives becoming one
A wheel means he’ll work to get it all done.
A flower shows love and affection
A shield means he’ll offer protection.
The chain expresses together forever, my love
And the Cross shows faith in the heavens above.
Balls in a cage he’ll have to face,
One for each child they’ll wish to embrace.
As he explains the story carving in the spoon
While stealing a kiss by the light of the moon.
He vowed then that he would pass on this gift
For others to follow and give love a lift.
And so it has passed from father to son
And four hundred years later, it is still being done.
So that tells the romance of the lovespoon
And what went on by the light of the moon.
Clive Griffin
