On One Knee at the Lake

The water held the whole pink sky And I held one small box I'd practiced to the rearview mirror Every morning, every light Three paragraphs of fancy words Gone the second you turned round The loons called out across the water Like they knew before you did On one knee at the lake, I forgot it all Except the only line that mattered "It's you. It's always you." And the water went so still, my love Like the whole world stopped to hear you say The yes we're dancing on today My hands shook so hard on the hinge You had to help me with the box We laughed until we both were crying On those old sun-warm dock boards You wear that little diamond now Beside a brand new band of gold On one knee at the lake, I forgot it all Except the only line that mattered "It's you. It's always you." And the water went so still, my love Like the whole world stopped to hear you say The yes we're dancing on today Someday we'll take the kids out to that dock And point: right there — that very spot And they'll groan because they've heard it And we'll tell it anyway On one knee at the lake, I forgot it all Except the only line that mattered "It's you. It's always you." And the water went so still, my love Like the whole world stopped to hear you say The yes we're dancing on today It's you — it's always you Still the only speech I know