WWII – Linda Mahkovec

Hallmarks’ Merriest Christmas Town 2026 – Carlinville, IL

Published on October 18, 2026October 22, 2026 by Linda Mahkovec - Author2 Comments

What a thrill to hear that my hometown — Carlinville, Il https://www.carlinville.com/ — has been chosen by Hallmark as this year’s Merriest Christmas Town! https://merriestchristmastownscontest.hallmarkchannel.com/

Aerial view of a snow-covered town square illuminated at night, featuring a central gazebo, decorated trees, and surrounding buildings with festive lights.

Santa’s House on the Carlinville town square. Credit: Roger Doolin/TenSixteen Photography

And deservedly so. Carlinville (pop. 5,500) is a charming small town that has always sparkled at Christmastime. Several articles and posts on the Hallmark contest point out unique features that make Carlinville stand out: It’s located on the legendary Route 66, is home to Blackburn College, has the largest collection of Sear’s catalog homes (I was actually born in one!), and is noted for its picturesque town square and gazebo, the “Million-dollar” court house, the Historical Society (Anderson’s Mansion, as we always called it) https://macoupincountyhistoricalsociety.com/, and the list goes on.

I left the town many years ago, but as Longfellow writes, “the thoughts of youth are long, long thoughts,” and the heart of the town has always stayed with me. As a writer, it has found its way into most of my stories, in one way or another.

Carlinville and the surrounding area feature largely in my Christmastime WWII series. Though most of the action is set in Manhattan, there is a parallel story line that takes place in a small central Illinois town. I was able to draw on my parents’ memories and stories from their generation — characters such as the old farmhand Ed and the stoic farmer Abe Creight have their origins in a real time and place. Kate and her children, as well as the town itself, are rooted in the people and landscape of my youth. Even the German POW plot line has its genesis in a persistent memory that my mom spoke of now and then.

(See my Pinterest boards “Kate’s Farm” and “Christmas: Rural and Small Town” for nostalgic and picturesque seasonal images: https://www.pinterest.com/lindamahkovec/_saved/)

My novel And So We Dream is even more closely based on Carlinville (renamed Greenberry in the novel). It takes place one summer in 1970 and features scenes of the county fair, the town carnival, the train that runs through the town, Anderson’s Mansion (it was still abandoned back then), bike rides through the country, strolls around Blackburn College and the town square — and the neighborliness and friendliness that is part of small-town charm.

A scenic forest path lined with vibrant purple flowers.

(Here’s a link to a post on the novel with photos I took of Carlinville and the countryside: https://lindamahkovec.com/2022/07/25/summertime-in-greenberry-1970-and-so-we-dream-a-novel/)

Carlinville is a beautiful place to visit spring, summer, and fall. But for a taste of small-town Christmas magic, stop by Carlinville during the holidays and enjoys its many charms!

From NBCChicago.com: “Located between Springfield and St. Louis, Carlinville was recognized for its historic square, which hosts a light-filled holiday ceremony and for the town’s many festivities, which make it a “holiday destination.”

“For years, we’ve heard visitors say Carlinville looks like something straight out of a Hallmark movie, so to have Hallmark itself recognize our town in this way is incredibly exciting,” Karin Doolin, executive director of the Carlinville Chamber of Commerce, said in a statement. “We’re proud of the traditions and community spirit that helped get Carlinville here, and we hope this gives even more people a reason to come experience our town for themselves.”

A beautifully decorated gazebo at night, adorned with festive lights and holiday decorations, surrounded by trees and people enjoying the festive atmosphere.

Carlinville’s annual Christmas Lighting Ceremony in the town square. Credit: Roger Doolin/TenSixteen Photography

The CHRISTMASTIME series – Stories of love and family set on the WWII home front. Paperbacks available on Amazon and B&N (and check your local library).

Ebooks for Christmastime 1939: Prequel to the Christmastime Series – https://a.co/d/fkjgolG and Christmastime 1940: A Love Story are $0.99 for the month of November ( Amazon, B&N, Google Play, Apple, Kobo).

You can also read the prequel, Christmastime 1939 for FREE on Substack: https://lindamahkovec.substack.com

Harvest Time 1947: A Love Story – Book 10 in the Christmastime Series

Published on September 30, 2026October 18, 2026 by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

The latest book in the Christmastime series, Harvest Time 1947: A Love Story, is now available — just in time for fall! The back cover reads:

It’s October in New York City and fall activities are underway. Gabriel and Billy devise a Halloween event at The Red String Curio Store to help Tommy and Mickey raise funds for summer camp. Lillian embraces her life as an independent illustrator, while her friend Izzy grapples with the new role of motherhood.

On the farm in Illinois, Kate must come to terms with the changes that time inevitably brings, and Ursula finds an unexpected reason for happiness. Meanwhile, one of the sisters-in-law is seeing ghosts! and Jessica is determined to solve the mystery.

The post-war world is a jumble of contradictions. While many still recover from trauma and wounds, others welcome the bright new future with open arms. Through the enduring traditions of the season itself—complete with hayrides and haunted houses, pranks and costumes—lovers, family, friends, and neighbors find a way forward together.

Harvest Time 1947: A Love Story is the first book cover in the Christmastime series to get a new look. The other covers have been designed and will soon be available for purchase. Here’s a sneak peek for you.

I hope you make yourself a cozy drink and sit back to enjoy this fall read.

(Images are from my Pinterest boards —https://www.pinterest.com/lindamahkovec/_saved/ )

Rosie the Riveter is Alive and Well

Published on March 25, 2026August 28, 2026 by Linda Mahkovec - Author2 Comments

Nothing makes me happier than to know that my books are out in the world connecting with people. Now and then, moments tied to World War II remind me that the themes I explore still resonate with today’s generation — perhaps even more so as that time period recedes further into the past.

The last book I wrote, Christmastime 1946: A Love Story (book 9 in the series) is very much about WWII women and their role in the war. The back cover blurb of the book states:

“The millions of women who joined the workforce during the war years must now leave their jobs in order to make room for the returning men. Rosie the Riveter must go home and discover, if she can, a new purpose to her life.”

I’m happy to say that 60 years later Rosie the Riveter is alive and well and continues to live with purpose. Both literally — in real-life “Rosie the Riveters” such as Jeanne Gibson (honored at a recent event at Pearl Harbor) — and in all the women who embody that indomitable, spunky spirit made famous in the 1942 “We Can Do It” poster.

Below are some images from the event that took place on National Rosie the Riveter Day. A friend of mine attended and kindly presented Jeanne with my books (and had her sign a bag for me!).

(An interesting aside: the friend who went with my friend broke her wrist the day of the event, but did that stop her from attending? The “Rosie” spirit wouldn’t allow for that!)

“National Rosie the Riveter Day is observed annually on March 21 to honor the millions of American women who supported the World War II effort by working in factories, shipyards, and defense industries. This day celebrates their vital contributions and lasting legacy, first recognized by Congress in 2017.”

Read my WWII post on “Women and the Workforce:” https://lindamahkovec.com/2025/09/10/women-and-the-workforce-wwii/

Step into the world of Christmastime WWII: https://a.co/d/08Sj9tct

(The first three books in the series are available on Kindle Unlimited now through May 2026.)

Check out my Pinterest boards on the Christmastime Series: https://www.pinterest.com/lindamahkovec/ (includes Kate’s Farm, Annette’s Orchard, Mrs. Kuntzman’s Kitchen, Lillian’s Apartment, historical boards by years, and many more).

Christmas Lights

Published on November 29, 2025January 26, 2026 by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

Woven into the Christmastime series is the celebration of the season, where the brightness of the holiday contrasts with the darkness of war – opposing elements that help to shape the storylines.

Much of the bright cheerfulness of Christmas comes from deep-rooted traditions: enjoying family and friends over delicious meals,

the sharing of festive treats,

the old-fashioned joys of finding your Christmas tree and decorating it,

the child’s delight in Santa Claus and flying reindeer,

the thrill of a white Christmas.

Layered into the spiritual element that defines the season is the pervasive beauty that fills this time of year:

the deep resonance of traditional music and the joyful togetherness of caroling,

the fragrant woodsy beauty of pine trees, garlands, mistletoe and holly,

decorations that delight the eye and lift the spirit.

And perhaps the oldest and purest source of comfort and beauty comes from light in the darkness: the original form of fire found in bonfires, fireplaces, candles,

the old-fashioned multi-colored bulbs of my youth,

and the more recent fairy lights that bring a sense of twinkling magic.

All add nighttime magic, and comfort in the longer, colder nights.

I try to capture this contrast of light and dark in the covers of the Christmastime series. Lampposts glowing in the twilight and a city lit at night, symbolizing hope and the end of war,

Fewer, or a lonelier, single lit lamppost to reflect the darkest years of the war,

and the beauty of lamplight on snow, tinged with wistful yearning, for the new 1946 cover.

Christmas lights. In the long, cold nights of winter, they offer hope, comfort, magic, and beauty.

Click here https://a.co/d/0AdKGsB to begin the series

Women and the Workforce – WWII

Published on September 10, 2025November 14, 2025 by Linda Mahkovec - Author10 Comments

My latest book in the Christmastime series, CHRISTMASTIME 1946: A LOVE STORY, focuses on women in the workforce and the mixed feelings they had when the war ended and it was time for them to give up their jobs.

In WWII, the U.S. experienced a severe labor shortage as millions of men left to fight. The solution was to use women, along with minorities, immigrants, people with disabilities, teenagers, older adults, and retirees.

Before WWII, women were already working in large numbers (roughly 13 million) but in predominantly low-paying jobs: domestic service, clerical jobs, teaching, nursing, and textile factories. Most working women were young, lower-income, and single.

To fill the labor gap created by the war, over 6 million additional women joined the workforce – building aircraft, assembling tanks, producing munitions, and working in shipyards. They became welders and riveters, machinists and crane operators.

Others kept the country running – working as nurses and firefighters, managing offices, driving trucks and buses, working on the railroads,

delivering mail, working on farms and in food production, and countless other jobs.

Though it’s easy to idealize this period of opportunity for women, for many, it was grueling, hard work.

The war enabled women to move into higher-paying, traditionally male-dominated roles. However, it was clear from the beginning that it would be only “for the duration.” After the war, women were expected to leave their jobs to make room for returning servicemen. Rosie the Riveter had to go home.

Working women were essential to the war effort and they proved just how capable they were. While many were only too happy to return to their prewar lives, others grappled with a deep sense of loss — of higher-paying jobs, of greater freedom and independence, and of the profound satisfaction that came from being part of something larger.

Holiday coziness and a sense of well-being

Published on November 19, 2023February 12, 2024 by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

It’s easy to create the feeling of contentment that comes from coziness and simple pleasures. Fresh flowers, the scent of baking pervading your home, music softly playing in the background.

The colder weather — especially with the approach of Christmastime — lends itself to creating such an atmosphere. It can start with using a favorite cup for your morning tea, or a piece of toast with jam, or the scent of coffee and a warm muffin.

I like to think that my Christmastime series captures, to some degree, the sense of pleasure and comfort: the scent of pine, a fire crackling in the fireplace, a radiator hissing and filling a cold apartment with warmth, the laughter of children.

Though the backdrop to the series is WWII and life on the home front is full of struggles and hardship, the overall tone of the series is uplifting and comforting.

Sad things happen, shocking events take place, but the characters roll up their sleeves and do their part to make the best of things. Love, family, friendship, and neighborliness are in the forefront and shape the stories.

Celebrating life — its holidays, the seasons, small day-to-day beauties, the quest for meaning — fill the pages of Christmastime.

So as the temperatures drop and the holidays approach, experience a sense of well-being for yourself. Fix a cozy hot drink, turn on a lamp or light a candle, and grab a warm blanket. Then nestle into your favorite reading chair and snuggle up with CHRISTMASTIME.

(Images from Pinterest)

She is rich who owns the day…

Published on July 7, 2023September 9, 2023 by Linda Mahkovec - AuthorLeave a comment

I recently came across a line (incorrectly attributed to Emerson?) that nevertheless caught my attention: She is rich who owns the day…

I love the sentiment and recognize the same spirit in my character of The Dreams of Youth, a very short collection of stories that tell the larger story of one woman.

These six interrelated pieces tell the story of Maggie, a vibrant individual who is also Everywoman: daughter, dreamer, nurse, friend, wife, mother. Spanning over eighty-five years, they follow her from her youth in Depression-era Illinois to the time when she ventures forth to 1940’s Hollywood and coastal California, and her return to the rural Midwest. Bittersweet and poignant, celebratory and inspiring, these stories portray the exuberance of youth, the delight of friendship, the adventure of going forth into the world, and the disappointment and heartache that are a part of life.

Maggie.

Always running, dreaming, adventurous, and daring.

Where others saw weeds, Maggie saw wishes.

Leafy treetops were enough to fuel her dreams.

And the dream of the ocean sustained her for a lifetime.

https://www.amazon.com/Dreams-Youth-Linda-Mahkovec-ebook/dp/B01N8QK2S7

(All images are from my Pinterest boards.)

1940’s Charm

Published on September 21, 2020October 13, 2020 by Linda Mahkovec - Author11 Comments

The following photographs are from my Pinterest boards. I started to collect images of the 1940s when I began writing the Christmastime series — stories that take place on the home front during World War II.

I wanted to get a sense of the times in order to better portray Lillian and her friend Izzy, and all the women in the series — women who live and work in New York City,

as well as those who run an orchard and live on a farm.

There are young mothers and career women, volunteers and performers, of all ages. And of course, there are a few images on the boards of men, to help portray the relationships in the books.

Some of the photographs on the Pinterest boards are of famous women,

others depict the not-so-average women of the day,

whose lives were turned upside down by the war. They rose to the challenge — going without, making do, and stepping into roles they never imagined for themselves.

These images helped me to tap into the spirit of the times and funnel some of the charm and energy into the characters of the Christmastime series.

I hope you enjoy them!

View my Pinterest Board

Buy on Amazon

Excerpt from “The Finnish Boy”

Published on February 18, 2020March 1, 2020 by Linda Mahkovec - Author2 Comments

Excerpt from “The Finnish Boy” from the short story collection The Dreams of Youth.

And the thoughts of youth, are long, long thoughts. —Longfellow

85-year-old Maggie remembers an incident from long ago when she worked as a nurse in California, shortly after WWII. A memory she has held close to her heart for over 60 years.

In Santa Barbara, Maggie lived alone in a pretty stucco apartment building with a small fountain in the courtyard. Flowers bloomed year-round, which never ceased to amaze her – pink roses, orange poppies, and exotic flowers that reached up from spiky succulent plants. The palm trees never lost their leaves, like Midwestern trees. Their green fronds glistened eternal-like in the ever-present sun.

Maggie walked to and from the hospital dressed in her crisp white uniform and cap. She worked the 3:00 – 11:00 p.m. shift and was responsible for twenty-nine beds on her floor. She loved her work, the sense of purpose it gave her, of being able to make a difference in the lives of others…

One night, at around 7:00, a nurse and an orderly brought a patient from the Emergency Room to Maggie’s floor. The ER nurse explained that the young man had been in a bad road accident. The doctors had done what they could, but after working on him for two hours, they shook their heads, hooked him up to a morphine drip, and sent him to Maggie’s floor. The nurse said that he had been muttering in a foreign language that no one recognized. She handed Maggie the report and left.

Maggie saw that the patient was just a boy, around twenty-four years old or so, her own age. He was tall and slim, with fair hair and a handsome face. As she gazed down on him, his blue eyes opened and fixed on her.

Maggie smiled her nurse’s smile, competent and compassionate. By then, the morphine had worked its magic and he didn’t seem to be in too much pain. He watched her as she adjusted his pillow and blanket, his eyes searching her face for an answer.

As she took his pulse, he turned his wrist and clasped her hand. Maggie spoke a few gentle words of comfort and was surprised when he answered in English. He thanked her and asked her name. He told her he was from Finland.

That he had wanted to see the United States and had found work driving trucks for a transport company. He smiled when he said it was the best way to see such a big country. He soon became fatigued and closed his eyes…

Maggie was thankful that the night was slow. She couldn’t leave him alone. There was no hope for him, and she guessed that he knew. She took a deep breath and returned to his bedside.

The sun was beginning to set and the room was slowly growing darker. She turned on the nightlight above his bed. As soon as she sat down, he opened his hand for hers. It seemed that he wanted to talk.

Maggie asked him which parts of the States he had seen. He became slightly more animated as he described the Great Plains, the Rocky Mountains, and the Northwest. But when he described the coast of California, a softer look filled his face. He told her it was the most beautiful place he had ever seen. Maggie replied that she felt the same way, and that she, too, had come from far away to be near the beautiful California coast.

She then asked him about the place he was from. In a few spare words, he told her that he was from a small town, a small family. He said he had wanted to see the world. His voice quivered slightly when he told her how his family had taken him to the train station – how his mother had cried, how his father had tried hard not to cry, and how his younger brother and sister had run alongside the train until he couldn’t see them anymore.

He was quiet for a few moments, and his mind seemed to shift. Then he told her about the accident. He said he had been driving, enjoying the beautiful scenery along the coast, and that all of a sudden someone from the oncoming lane passed a car and was in his lane. He said he knew that if he hit the car, the driver would be killed. And he couldn’t do that. So he turned the wheel, and went over the hill. The next thing he remembered was the sound of a siren in his mind that grew louder and louder.

He looked at Maggie and told her that he didn’t want to die. He didn’t want to die so far from home. Somehow, he knew. And there was nothing Maggie could do but try to comfort him. She held his hand and tried to look strong, though she felt a sad crumbling inside her. Then she leaned closer and put her other hand on his cheek. This gesture of tenderness seemed to ease his anxiety, and his eyes glittered with gratitude. It was becoming more difficult for him to speak. He asked Maggie to tell him about her, where she was from.

She told him about her family, about how she was from a small town in the rural Midwest. How she became a nurse so that she could see something of the world, and how the ocean had always called to her.

They smiled, realizing how similar they were in their youthful dreams. His eyes fastened on her as he drank in her words, eager to take in just a little bit more of life. His speech trickled down to a few words, uttered slowly now and then. After a little while, he closed his eyes.

Maggie continued to speak in a soft, low voice, watching his face closely. She gently began to move away, thinking that he had fallen unconscious, but he increased the pressure on her hand. So she continued to sit with him, lightly squeezing his fingers to let him know that she was there.

Then she covered his hand with both of hers and sat quietly. And even though she was expecting it, she started when his hand went limp. She looked closely at his face, his chest, and leaned in to feel for a pulse. Her fingers searched again and again, but his warm wrist no longer held life. She placed her ear to his chest, but heard only silence. She watched him for a few moments, and put her hand to his cheek once more. Then she swallowed her emotions, and left the room.

Maggie stayed late that night to finish her reports. She walked home slowly, not noticing the tears on her cheeks. She made her way to the beach and stood for a few minutes, looking out at the glittering dark ocean, the wind blowing her hair…

Songs from Christmastime 1940: A Love Story — “Maybe” and “Only Forever”

Published on December 1, 2019September 24, 2020 by Linda Mahkovec - Author2 Comments

Throughout the Christmastime series, I often use paintings or songs to help tell the story.

In Christmastime 1940: A Love Story, there are two songs that reflect the internal stories of Lillian Hapsey and Charles Drooms.

There’s a point in the story where Lillian invites Mr. Drooms to join her and her boys in decorating their Christmas tree. He declines her invitation, believing she is simply being neighborly. However, her anger at his refusal makes him wonder if she sincerely wanted him to stop by. He had long ago closed the door to love. Yet later that evening, as he sits alone at the usual diner, his heart is pried open as he falls into the soft strains of the song “Maybe.” Following is an excerpt from that scene. (images from Pinterest)

Drooms sat at his usual booth, opened the menu that he knew by heart, and began to peruse it. The thought, the possibility that perhaps Lillian had been sincere in her invitation, struck him like a blow. What if she had really meant it? She certainly appeared offended when he declined. He tried to imagine himself sitting at the same table as her. What would they have to talk about? He felt both shaky and warm, almost happy at the thought.

He quickly dismissed such foolery, looked again at the menu and saw that he had been staring at the dessert page. He opened to the specials, but once again his thoughts drifted, and he imagined Lillian moving about her apartment. Was she clearing the dishes by now, trimming the tree? Was she thinking of him?

His gaze fell beyond the menu and into the dark wood of the empty booth. Never one for music, he was surprised to find himself lost in the simple lyrics of “Maybe.” Maybe, you’ll think of me. When you are all alone. He set his menu down and let the rest of the world fall away as he listened to the words, wondering at the desperate stirring in his heart.

The waitress came and asked him if he wanted the meatloaf special. When he didn’t answer, she smiled. “You like the Ink Spots, sir?”

Drooms frowned at being caught in a personal moment. “When did you start playing music here?”

She looked around, perplexed. “You mean the radio? We always have it on.”

He glanced down at the menu. “It must be on louder tonight or something. I’ll have the special.” He slipped the menu back in its stand and continued to frown as he tried not to listen to the song.

(Youtube)

The Ink Spots had great appeal to a wide audience in the 1930s and ’40s. Their ballad style lent itself to a host of love songs, as well as their rendition of the patriotic 1942 WWII song, “This Is Worth Fighting For.” https://bit.ly/32qSUJ2 (Youtube)

Maybe

Maybe you’ll think of me
When you are all alone
Maybe the one who is waiting for you will prove untrue
Then what will you do?
Maybe you’ll sit and sigh
Wishing that I were near, then
Maybe you’ll ask me to come back again
And maybe I’ll say maybe.

Towards the end of the book, the song “Only Forever” captures the happiness Lillian feels when it looks like her relationship with Charles is sealed. She experiences a sense of joy that she hadn’t expected to find again. Widowed, struggling financially, mother of two young boys, her dreams forsaken, she finally sees a beautiful future now awaiting her.

The following afternoon Lillian was in the middle of her Christmas baking. She wore her ruffled red and green Christmas apron and bustled about the kitchen, singing along with the radio. She didn’t want to appear too different to the boys, but she couldn’t forget that kiss, the warm embrace. She kept catching herself smiling as she remembered his hand in her hair, the gentleness in his voice when he said her name.

When Al Bowlly’s “Only Forever” came on, she turned up the volume and tried to dance with the boys. She could usually count on at least Gabriel to play along, but today both boys were restless and wanted to go outside, and the more she laughed and tried to twirl around with them, the more impatient they became.

“Can’t we go now, Mom?” asked Tommy. “I already read all my books, and if we don’t go now the library will close.”

“Yeah, Mommy, I want to go outside. I need some more books, too.” Gabriel ran to get his coat and started to put it on.

Lillian opened the oven, took out a batch of Christmas cookies, and set them on top of the stove.

“If we can’t go today,” she said, “we’ll go another day.”

“But I already read –”

“Now Tommy, what did I say? I can’t leave in the middle of baking.”

Gabriel stomped his foot. “But Mommy –”

“If you two don’t start behaving I won’t take you to see Santa tomorrow.”

Gabriel gasped at this possibility. “Mommy, we have to see Santa to tell him what we want!”

Tommy heard Drooms’s door open and close, and ran to look down the hall.

“Hi, Mr. Drooms!”

Gabriel also ran to the door and peeked out.

“Hi, Mr. Drooms! Will you take us to the libary?”

Drooms appeared in their doorway, dressed to go outside. He smiled at the boys, then at Lillian.

But she didn’t want to cross any as yet to be determined boundary. “Boys! Stop that. You know better.” She went to the door, pulled the boys back inside, and widened her eyes at them in warning.

Tommy relented. “Okay, okay.”

Lillian flushed with pleasure as she gazed up at Drooms. She had never seen him looking so handsome.

Though “Only Forever” was popularized by Bing Crosby in a 1940 movie (Rhythm on the River), and was performed by many different artists, it is the playful Al Bowlly/Jimmy Messene version that reflects the mood of Lillian at this point in the story.

(www.youtube.com)

Al Bowlly was popular during the 1930’s dance band era and recorded more than a 1000 records between 1927-1941.

He was killed in London in April of 1941 by a Luftwaffe parachute bomb. He recorded his last song two weeks before his death — (ironically) a duet with Messene of Irving Berlin’s satirical song about Hitler, “When That Man Is Dead and Gone.” (wikipedia)

Al Bowlly was among several performers who died related to the war, underscoring the pervasive loss and tragedy of WWII.

1942 – Carol Lombard died in a plane crash returning from one of her many War Bond rallies, devastating her husband, Clark Gable.

1943 – Leslie Howard, of Gone With the Wind fame, left Hollywood to return to Great Britain to make patriotic radio broadcasts and films. He was on the civilian KLM flight that was shot down by the Luftwaffe.

1944 – Band leader Glenn Miller volunteered to lead the U.S. Army military band. While traveling to entertain troops in France, his plane disappeared over the English Channel.

Only Forever

Do I want to be with you / As the years come and go?

Only forever / If you care to know.

Would I grant all your wishes / And be proud of the task?

Only forever / If someone should ask.

How long would it take me / To be near if you beckon?

Off hand I would figure / Less than a second.

Do you think I’ll remember / How you looked when you smile?

Only forever / That’s puttin’ it mild.