"Patient Wife" an Old-Fashioned Love Song by Jess Coffman

Patient Wife

Intro:

You may not notice, but I always stop to look,

Adoring you above pages of my book. 

Your quiet grace, your playful eyes, 

Your love sustains me thorough the day,

It makes me stop and realize,

Life has changed me in a way, 

Chorus: 

But...

It gets better, and I get better than this, I promise, 

Please trust in this early morning kiss, I promise,

You are by far my favorite person in this life,

I'm saving all my love for you, my patient wife. 

Bridge:

My love, to think of you without, 

I fall to pieces,

I want to give and be everything you need. 

I just need a little time, to learn the ropes

and make a dime, 

And soon we'll reap the roses

from these tiny seeds. 

Chorus:

Cause…

It gets better, and I get better than this, I promise, 

Please trust in this early morning kiss, I promise,

You are by far my favorite person in this life,

I'm saving all my love for you, my patient wife. 

Tag:

You are my peace and sunshine too, my gorgeous wife

You are the best part of my life, my patient wife. 

JESS COFFMAN

This song was written a few weeks ago, while I was babysitting for the wonderful family that I always sit for, on date night Saturday night. The smiliest children, Lily and Hudson, had already been put to sleep by their hardworking and gracious mother, so my job was set to be incredibly easy for the rest of the night. I asked Lily and Hudson's Father, if there was anything else I could do for them around the house that night, since I wouldn't actually be caring for their children. He jokingly said, "You can write us an old-fashioned love song." That was quite possibly the best task I could ever have been given, and I proceed to write and complete two songs before they returned home for the night. The song above, "Patient Wife," was one of those songs. 

"Patient Wife," was written as a valentine for my two friends Joe and Allyson. Allyson and I worked together for six months in Southern Utah performing in the final workshop of Disney's "Aladdin," before it went to Broadway, and "Hairspray." We laughed together, drank wine together, made Sunday night dinners together, danced in the rain together, escaped to Vegas together, experienced the most amazing Firework show together, had a real life Hunger Games and so much more. 

Then, during an extended dark weekend of shows, Allyson flew home to New York to her boyfriend Joe. When she came back to Utah, her left ring finger was dazzling with diamonds and bows! Allyson and Joe were engaged!!! It was so exciting! I have been lucky enough to stay close with Allyson over the past few years, and had the time of my life at their wedding one year ago today. They even humored me and played "The Thong Song" just for me that night, so I could really dance my face off! I love you guys so much! I am honored and uplifted to be in your life and call you friends! Happy One Year Anniversary!!

Best,

Jess

"Annabel Lee" a poem by Edgar Allan Poe

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived who you may know
By the name of ANNABEL LEE;--
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.
She was a child and I was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea,
But we loved with a love that was more than love--
I and my Annabel Lee--
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.

And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud by night
Chilling my Annabel Lee;
So that her high-born kinsman came
And bore her away form me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in Heaven,
Went envying her and me:--
Yes! that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of a cloud, chilling
And killing my Annabel Lee.

But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we--
Of many far wiser than we-
And neither the angels in Heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:--

For the moon never beams without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise but I see the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling, my darling, my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea--
In her tomb by the side of the sea.

EDGAR ALLAN POE

This is a photograph of The Edgar Allan Poe Cottage in Bronx, New York. 

This is the place when Poe penned "Annabel Lee." 

If Poe was still alive, and he and I were unlikely friends, I would have offered this insightful and nurturing quote by F. Scott Fitzgerald,

"There are all kinds of love in this world, but never the same love twice."

I recently discovered this quote, and it has provided much needed relief for me and also a nagging fear, that had I been exposed to this quote 6 months ago, my romantic life might have remained intact. I have realized that in the quest to love intensely and to reach my heart's personal maximum capacity for love, I somehow missed this very important insight. I had been cautioned not to compare my first great love, to my second great love, or to any of the other less significant relationships. But, I thought of it only in the terms of not comparing one to the other aloud, with the focus on the man's feelings and not my own. I had never considered thinking of the specific love that I shared with each individual man, as its own entity. I have never considered that I could love each man specifically and differently than all of the others. That my actions and reactions could be just as significant, interested and "in love", even if they looked and felt different than ever before. One thing I know is signature to me, is what my first love called "Angel Kisses." When I really feel strongly for a man, I will kiss his whole face lightly and with appreciation for every freckle and flaw. It usually happens in bed, in the morning. If I wake up and want to kiss your face all over, I know I love you.

I wish I could give Poe an "Angel Kiss" on the cheek, and let him know that another love is waiting for him. A love that will never be the same as that first love with Annabel Lee, and maybe not at all as intense and hopefully not as tragic. And because it is less intense and tragic, maybe he will feel as though it is not as significant, or he doesn't love this new woman as much. And I would gently tell him that this new woman, hard as he may try, will never have the capacity to be Annabel Lee. She will never love him the same, and he will never love her exactly the same way that he loved Annabel Lee. And that it is natural and necessary for healing, personal growth and romantic grit. Forcing your new love to love you the same as another, or forcing yourself to feel the same loving way that you did with your last love, will only lead to frustration and loneliness for all involved.

I can only move forward with a clean slate, without expectations, and hope to remember Fitzgerald's beautiful and gentle caution when approaching my next significant romantic opportunity. And also, vow not to allow myself to cling to the pleasure and love of a deceased relationship. I have two significant Kingdom's by the Sea, which I must bid farewell, and find my own Kingdom to be the Queen of.

With Love,

Jess

"LONG-LEG LOU AND SHORT-LEG SUE" a poem by Shel Silverstein

Long-Leg Lou and Short-Leg Sue
Went for a walk down the avenue,
Laughin' and jokin' like good friends do,
Long-Leg Lou and Short-Leg Sue.

Says Long-Leg Lou to Short Leg Sue,
"Can't you walk faster than you do?
It really drives me out of my mind
That I'm always in front, and you're always behind."

Says Short-Leg Sue to Long-Leg Lou,
"I walk as fast as I'm meant to do,"
"Then I'll go walkin' with someone new,"
Says Long-Leg Lou to Short-Leg Sue.

Now Long-Leg Lou, he walks alone,
Looking for someone with legs like his own.
And sometimes he thinks of those warm afternoons
Back when he went walkin' with Short-Leg Sue.

And Short-Leg Sue strolls down the street
Hand in hand with Slow-Foot Pete,
And they take small steps and they do just fine,
And no one's in front and no one's behind.

SHEL SILVERSTEIN


I read this poem and loved it instantly. Though I can't quite say that it was love. It was more relief, mixed with a hidden sadness and a sense of knowing what I didn't want to know.

You see...I was Long-Leg Lou for a long-leg time. I was with a person whose walk in life was just as fast as it was meant to be, and I was incredibly impatient. I felt as though I was "always in front" and he was "always behind." And to keep myself from going completely out of my mind with frustration that he couldn't walk any faster, I decided to make a change of pace.

And just like Long-Leg Lou, my sense of needing to take bigger and faster strides in life caused me to seek out someone new to walk with. And just like Long-Leg Lou, I walk alone now, and frequently miss the warm memories of my previous slow-paced love. But I'm hopeful that one day I'll find a man with a mind and legs as strong as my own. Legs that love to dance. Legs that can brace my weight at times and his own. Legs that love to go adventuring. Legs that will wrap themselves around mine. Legs that stand up for what's right. Legs that stand by me, no matter what.

I hope you have a pair of legs in your life that are perfect just for you.

Jess