A glass of Prosecco in hand standing
By the worktop we spoke together as
We always do, truths and hurts, and
Understandings coming together as
They always do.
Listening to the Blackbird singing
I watched her cooking from my chair
She tasted the sauce from her fingers
And said, “Could you lay the table?”
“And bring the wine too?”
We talked some more, and ate and
Drank some more too, then off we
Went to bed. I held her in my arms
Thinking how blessed I was, as
I always do, and slept
Driving back from the Post Office
Where I’d posted two special parcels
I punch on the radio, R4 as usual
The weather forecast is sunny, warm
And light breezes for a few days
Then it switches to Election discussions
With strident denunciations of one or
Other, and how their pot of gold is
Just over the Rainbow if we’ll only believe
Leaning forward I switch to Radio 2
It plays, “You are the Wind beneath my Wings”,
By Bette Midler and suddenly I am transported
To a School Assembly many, many years ago now
And my middle daughter steps out of the radio
My eyes mist and a vice-like grief grips me
It’s not there all the time, it couldn’t be
Briefly I had forgotten, despite the parcel
I felt happy in the sun, just like in Paris
A few short days ago. I was whistling,
“You are my Sunshine”, to myself
A blossom tree unfolding, or cycling past
A remarkable stream of bubbling water
Sometimes a stone, or a shell distracts me
But not for long. One memory or another
Catches up with me. The lost past.
When you first kissed me I can remember
And where, but not, I think, the reason why
When you first lay in my arms ’til morning
I can remember well, and when, and why
But my head is full of old memories tonight
Ghosts in the wind that tap upon the glass
I want to hear them say, “Remember me”
Sons and daughters, whom I still love so
Like summer trees where birdsong stops
One cannot know the reason why
Just that the birds have flown the nest
Leaving branches green, but silent and alone
Now this tree feels spring unfold anew
Though I cannot say if their love will return
I know your heart is closing fast about me
That song is here and sings in me again
A cold, cold night. Bitterly cold
I’m by my frosty car, and look up
At a black velvet sky pierced with
Brilliant diamonds clustering above
Where is my Arrakis? Dancing for
The Pleione, light years away
My Sudalbari brings good news, but
Alas my dearest love is far, far away
My mind wanders amongst the
Distant light straining to hear
Athena calling her hunting dogs
But all is silent around me……….
I remember you. Not when you were young of course
First seen in Winter cold and bare but forever there
Passing the years, strong, stable, marker of my youth
I leaned my bike against you one Spring I remember
Sitting to eat my sandwiches, cheese they were, what else
The grass blew left and right, but you scarcely moved
Unfolding tight bunched blossom until your limbs were white
Then shading leaves in Summer heat, cooled and sheltered me
Hot and weary from chasing a girl, that I never did catch
Telling myself (liar!) that the pursuit wasn’t worth it anyway
Are the birds still roosting high amongst your branches
Safe from harm and raising new families that whirl and swoop
Do other new adventurers resting from their ride, think that
They’re are the first to find you, sharing kisses in your bower
Never imagining that I too was sitting there many years ago
Trying to grasp a single shell,
Seaweed fronds, to secure the moment
To avoid the flight of time
Stores both infinite joy and sorrow
As if whistling alone in dark woods
But the splendour of the sea alone
Can never prove memory enough
To return the warmth of the day
We shared, hand in hand, and
Of you in the Winter sunlight
The early morning sun reaches down
And touches the few leaves that stay
It shines as if it doesn’t know us at all
Then a small bird sings clearly
Far away in the morning hush
And I know you hear it too
Whether or not anyone else hears
Doesn’t matter. We hear.
We are here. It sounds our hopes
Our dreams. Such as they can be.
Invisible to others, real to us
We wait the birdsong to begin again
There was once a Dryad sprite, gentle, kind and dressed all in leafy green, who lived in an ancient wood on a hill. Below the hill stretched a sea shore, long and sandy, where she liked to gather sea-shells to make her woodland glade even more beautiful.
She loved most of all though, listening to the song of the waves as they kissed the shore and drew back with a long sigh. She would walk the shore on moonlit nights looking at the stars and listening to the waves, and collecting shells.
The Sea saw her strolling by and all at once fell in love with her radiant beauty. He guided her into the surf where in the moonlight her leafy garments shimmered with a silvery glow. The Sea caressed her gently with warm waves and drew her closer to him. Before she knew her silvern leaves shimmered an iridescent blue and turned to scales and she found herself swimming along with The Sea, her mermaid’s tail delighting her as she sped through the waves.
For many nights she swam, caressed and loved by The Sea for she had his heart, and he treasured his beautiful mermaid. But then one day she realised that she missed her woods with all their changing seasons and she knew Spring was nearly here. One moonless night while The Sea slumbered she came to the shallows, her scales faded and she stepped ashore and walked back to her woodland glade.
The Sea awoke and knew at once that she had gone. In a heart-broken rage he thundered and crashed against the shore, pounding the sand and stones and calling for her. But she was deep in the woodland and didn’t hear his cry. The Sea returned again and again but she was never there. Many days passed and at last the hot Summer sun beat down and carried The Sea’s tears up into the skies where they joined as clouds and moved across the land.
Passing over the wood they began to fall as silent Summer rain, splashing down and giving the leaves a shiny coating. The Dryad felt the tears and knew where they were from. She realised she missed her gentle lover with his strong arms and soft kisses. That night when the full moon shone she returned to the softly calling Sea and they became as one. From that day on, whenever the full moon shines, the woods lose their elfin sprite and The Sea holds his Mermaid love in his arms once more.
mycroft212b 