A Post-it Note, to My Husband

Two poems. Beautiful, sad, and so so relevant, given our age.  Words are powerful.   The first was in The Spectator of the 4th February. 

A Post-it Note   by John Levett

So time, for one of us, will carry on

in chilly rooms where either you or me

will linger for a while after we've gone

in silences on worn upholstery,

in orange paperbacks we'll never read

by crooked lamps, the shadows they still throw

now falling where. for once, we'd both agreed

the lucky one would be the first to go

and in their rush, perhaps, leave keys and coat,

a just popped out, back soon that comes unstuck

to curl up in a yellow post-it note

with two small kisses clinging on for luck

and, trembling on the fridge, collecting fluff.

the love for which there's never time enough.

To My Husband  by Wendy Cope

If we were never going to die,

I might not hug you quite as often or as tight,

Or say goodbye to you as carefully 

If I were certain you’d come back to me. 

Perhaps I wouldn’t value every day,

Every act of kindness, every laugh

As much, if I knew you and I could stay

For ever as each other’s other half.

We may not have too many years before

One disappears to the eternal yonder

And I can’t hug or touch you any more. 

Yes, of course that knowledge makes us fonder. 

Would I want to change things, if I could, 

And make us both immortal? Love, I would. 

Of course she would. We were not made to die, even though, as damaged children of disobedient Adam, we do now.  We want to live here on this lovely earth for ever, and never lose the people we love. Which is exactly the hope that that the Bible holds out.

We saw some old friends at The Recorder's Conference in Haywards Heath on Saturday.  One of them was talking about his feelings of mortality since retirement.  It really began to dawn on me how short out lives are now, how little time we get to spend with the people we love, as I was coming up to 40 - many years ago.

It was nice to be back in touch with what I think of as the Butterfly World.  The Recorders work hard for and record all sort of wildlife, trying their best to protect this region against the destructive forces of the world.

It is nearly 3 years since the Captain and I had a day out like this.  And it was great.  Tiring because of my back, but great.  We brought a sandwich lunch, and sandwiches are a treat for me now. So I enjoyed that too.

The butterflies were photographed by The Captain of course.  Loving couples, I hope.