This is the only true story behind the poem...

And I can know because it was I who wrote this poem in 2004.

I was looking for information to write my autobiography so decided to look up a poem I wrote more than ten years ago. The results suprised me, as the poem has started to live his own life.

In my entire life I only wrote two poems, so I wouldn't call mysell a great poet. Neither am I a big fan of poetry... I was in love.

The poem was written on a beer card in a dim cigarettesmoke-filled backroom of a rental house near Bruges (Belgium). I asume it was late winter, maybe early spring. The person I wrote this for loved it so much that I decided to publish it online. The first publication was on a private forum, in the poems section (where else would it have gone). Soon after, it got a lot of positive reactions so I decided to publish it on a more public website. From there it has grown, was changed (something you should never do, it hurts) and found it's way in many hearts where I hope it will stay for very long.

The poem was never out of my mind. I have shared it with a lot of people. Some even asked me if they could print it on their wedding invitation.

During time I've added a new sentence, just before the last one, but it missed the power of the original version:

I wrote you name in the sky

but the wind blew it away

I wrote you name in the sand

but the sea washed it away

I carved your name in a tree

but time took it away

I wrote your name in my heart

and forever it will stay

It gives me great pleasure to see that soo many people loved the poem, used it or even created their own version. But no one can experience the feelings I had when I wrote it so many years ago. The person I wrote it for is out of my life, but as promised never out of my heart.

This poem is the legacy I leave behind for the children and grandchildren of the world, now and forever.

Ben Pottiez, 21/06/2014

Antwerp, Belgium