That Black Sweatshirt.
You wore it the first time I saw you
The basketball logo shone in green.
It matched your eyes.
It matched your grin.

We caught each other’s eyes
We didn’t break our stare
I felt the rapid blush
The silent quivering.
The nervousness.

You pushed that all away.
The insecure feelings.
And instead,
Put your arm around me
And gave me my first kiss.
Clad in that soft black sweatshirt
I snuggled and found shelter in.

When I asked you about the sweatshirt
You told me that it was something special.
That it had something special.
Turns out in a pocket inside that sweatshirt
Just behind the brazen green logo
Was a lock of my hair.

Middle school came to an end.
You promised to follow me
To wherever school I chose to go.

You followed me to boarding school
When you could have stayed home.

High school passed
As swift as a breeze.
You wore that black sweatshirt
To every picture day.

Soon we were in college
It flew by too.
But our love stayed the same.
Secure and impervious.

At graduation, underneath your robes
And quirky black hat,
Was that black sweatshirt
Waiting to give me a congratulatory embrace.

The night you proposed
You wore that black sweatshirt
You knew I loved so much.

It’s been fourteen years
Since we met.
Since we had the black sweatshirt.

You and I know everything about each other.
All of our favorite everythings.

All of our decisions and opinions are harmonized.
And always in sync.
From sports to jobs.
Except on one matter…
Concerning that black sweatshirt.
Should we replace the lock of hair?