He straightened his army uniform
Standing tall, every stitch in place
Nobody’d guess he was back from a storm
He had never met her before, never seen her face

He looked for the girl whose heart he knew
But who knew what time would bring through?
Finding her thoughts in a library book long due
Intrigued by the notes beside the margin in delicate blue

Her thoughtful soul reflected in the soft handwriting
With time and effort he located the previous owner’s address
He wrote to her and introduced himself, knowing the fire he was igniting
They got to know each other and with each letter their feelings expressed

He asked for her picture but she refused
Thinking it wouldn’t matter what she looked like
When he returned from his place a meeting was scheduled
Both of them waited for that moment all day and night

“You’ll recognize me,” she wrote, by the red rose
"I’ll meet you by the station with the flower on my coat"
There he was, looking for the girl whose heart he knew
He searched for the face he longed for remembering all those letters she wrote

And then a pretty young lady started walking his way
Her long hair behind those delicate ears, eyes looking him into his heart
Coming towards him in pale green, lighting up her sway
He started towards her without realising it was not who he thought

The red rose was missing, much to his apprehension
He stopped almost uncontrollably, seeing a glimpse of red colour right past the green
There she was, with the rose grabbing all of his attention
A woman well past forty, her wrinkled and plump face gently gleamed

He didn’t hesitate, strided towards her with the same library book in hand
And asked her to dine with him that night
This could be love, a precious friendship or something unplanned
Whatever it was, he felt just right

Just then, a nervous grin took over the lady’s face
“I don’t know what this is about”, she claimed
“But the young woman who just crossed you asked me to wear this flower’s grace”
He was puzzled at first, wondering at what she aimed

It was her, the girl in green, the one whose heart he knew
“She said it was some kind of test,”
He then understood, and his glum broadened into a smile
“She said if you were to ask me to dinner, I’d have to tell you to go across the bridge”
And there she was, waiting right there for him all that while