This month we are celebrating the sixtieth year of my extraordinary wife. So I could expect nothing less of myself than that I should write a(nother) poem for her.
I've written a few poems for her but, this time, I thought I'd bitten off more than I could chew! It has sixty stanzas and is, without question, the longest poem I've ever written (even beside this one); and it still doesn't cover half of what I could say about her. It does, however, encapsulate her most important attributes and the signposts to and in her life so far, at least from my significant perspective.
The poem is here, or you can click on the link further down the right hand side of this page under 'My Poetry Library'.
There are a few references in the story, which I don't expect anyone, who doesn't know us, to understand. For example, the main reference to Kings and Queens refers to a short period of time when my father-in-law clearly expressed his disapproval of the marriage. His subtle, but very well written apology came in the form of a fairy story, which we still have to this day and treasure the memory.
The 'Gentle Waltz' refers, rather perversely, to the pattern of the metre in each line, alternating, as they do for the most part, with three and four 'feet'. Hence the 3/4 waltz rhythm... told you it was perverse :-).
Hello John! I commented on this post in my head...but obviously forgot to translate that onto the keyboard! Anyway, I very much enjoyed the poem...such a wonderful tribute to someone who obviously means so much to so many. How lucky you are to have found such happiness...I feel the same way, and it is a fantastic state to live in and one that I hope I never take for granted! I can see that you have never fallen into that trap either. Wishing you many, many more years of happy family life together and congratulations on all that you've created so far....and Happy Birthday to Barbara! Rachel x
ReplyDeleteThank you, Rachel, that is a very kind hearted message. I'm glad for your happiness too; you clearly value you each day, as I do - most of the time anyway :-) - it is true though, that each one of us is the maker of our own happiness; it is in our hands (given some serious limitations that may be imposed on certain unfortunate folk).
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