Reluctant

06/04/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



I was reluctant to say hello

I didn’t think you’d say it back

You wouldn’t want to be my friend

You were too good for me



I was reluctant to ask you out

I didn’t think you’d say yes

You wouldn’t want to be my boyfriend

You were out of my league



I was reluctant to say yes

I didn’t think you’d really mean it

You wouldn’t want to be my husband

You were way too successful



I was reluctant to let you go

I didn’t think I could

You wouldn’t want to live like this

You were too much for this world

Never (is such a long time)

29/01/2021 – Poem a Day Compilation



Never is such a long time

But I think I can do it

It’s not really a hardship

When loving you is so easy



Gonna fill my world with you

And be your biggest fan,

Cheering on all your successes

Congratulating you at every turn



Give me a moment, if you will,

To sing your highest praises

Because you deserve every one

Even when you don’t feel it



You think it’s silly that I’m this way

But it’s all because of you

They way you light up my life

And make it worth living



Up until I met you

I thought I knew what love was

But now I see I was wrong

And it’s a pale imitation



Never is such a long time

But I’m here ‘til the end of time

Come hell or high water

Nothing will keep me away



Gonna do everything I can

To make life perfect for you

And though I may sometimes fail

It’s worth it just for you



Let me shower you with love

And let the whole world know

You are my forever

And there’s nothing I won’t do



You bring sunshine after rain

The birds sing when you’re around

The flowers bloom a little early

And the days seem like a dream



Down in my soul

Where all my love resides

Is a home that I built for you

The day I first saw your face



Never is such a long time

But together we can make it work

Our love lifting us above the troubles

And devotion seeing us through



Gonna be the best person I can

To champion your every cause

Because you are amazing

And I love you with all my heart



Run every marathon

Swim every ocean

Cross every continent

I will be there for you



Around every bunch of flowers

Will be a ribbon tied with love

Even if I’ve just picked them

Walking home from work



And when Valentine’s Day come around

I will show you the depths of my love

Not just with gifts

But with affection, too



Desert you, I never will

Because it’s not in my nature

To abandon the one I love

When the going gets a bit tough



You are my joy and my smile

You are my laughter ‘til I cry

You make the world a better place

And for that I love you more



Never is such a long time

And it feels like that when we part

The hours while we’re at work

Are the longest I’ve ever known



Gonna carry the weight of the world for you

So you don’t have to feel the strain

And you can be the woman

You were always meant to be



Make no excuses for your brilliance

You shine like a million stars

There is no one that compares

And nowhere I’d rather be



You are my food, my nourishment

When I forget to eat

As I stare wistfully into your eyes

Across the restaurant table



Cry only tears of joy for me

But if you are overtaken by sadness

Allow me to be your comfort then

And be everything you need



Never is such a long time

I’m glad I didn’t have to wait that long

Though I was very nervous

When I got down on one knee



Gonna make sure our life together

Is the best that it can be

Because there’s no one I’d rather spend it with

That you, my darling wife



Say what you will about marriage

It’s not for everyone

But I have found the perfect partner

And the best friend I could ever have



Goodbye to my single days

Feeling so empty and alone

But you gave me the power I needed

To love me the way I was



Never is such a long time

Let’s have no more talk of that

We’ll focus on the future

And our lives together instead



Gonna take the ups and downs in our stride

Always having each other’s backs

A team like no other

You and me against the world



Tell the universe to stop looking

We’ve found what we both need

A laugh, a smile, a warm embrace

And a ton of time to discover



A world of adventure awaits

We’ll travel to the ends of the earth

We’ll climb every mountain

And we’ll do it side by side



Lie on a bed of roses

Sit on the sandy shore

Walk through misty moorlands

Tiptoe through tulip fields



And when we are both exhausted

We’ll collapse into each other’s arms

Safe in the knowledge

We can do it all again



Hurt will be behind us

Our love will find a way

Of guiding us on our journey

To see what the future holds



You give me strength and determination

When I am at my lowest ebb

With you I can do anything

Because you are the song in my heart and my head

Flashlight

15/12/2020 – Poem a Day Compilation



I need the flashlight, honey.

I’ll see if I can find it,

What do you need it for?



I’m just looking for something.

I can’t find the flashlight.

Will a candle do?



Only if you want to burn the house down.

No need for sarcasm.

Do you remember where you put it?



It should be in the draw.

It’s not in the draw.

When did you use it last?



When I was cleaning out the attic.

Maybe you left it up there.

Why can’t you put things back?



I didn’t leave it anywhere.

You must have because it’s not in the draw.

Are you sure it’s this draw you put it in?



Well, I didn’t put it in the sock draw.

I wouldn’t be surprised if you did.

Why am I looking for the flashlight, anyway?



I can’t leave what I’m doing, that’s why.

If you just put things back where they belonged.

Is it in your toolkit?



Maybe, just hurry up and find it.

Ok, ok, no need to get shirty.

Where’s the toolkit?



Under the stairs next to the vacuum cleaner.

Right, oh, so that’s where my laundry basket went.

Why is the laundry basket under the stairs?



I was using it for ... something ... I don’t remember.

Your memory has more holes than this basket.

Did you say next to the vacuum cleaner?



Yes, next to, or maybe behind.

Found it, under the vacuum.

Why did you put it there?



Just get the flashlight, I’m in a rather awkward position.

Keep your knickers on, I’m looking.

What on earth is all this stuff?



Don’t worry about the other stuff - the flashlight!

Got it but you really should sort out that toolkit.

What do you need it fo- ?



Stop laughing and give me the flashlight.

Oh, oh no, this is too good.

What on earth were you doing?



I was testing them out and I dropped the key.

I just need to get a photo, just hold that thought.

Do you want me to look for the key?



No, I can do it myself, just give me the flashlight.

You’re going to look back at this and laugh.

Why were you testing them, anyway?



It was meant to be a surprise, for later.

Oh, you are one big constant surprise.

Have you found the key?



Yes, I’ve almost got it.

Maybe next time wait to me to handcuff you to the bed.

Do you want a cup of tea?



Please, that would be lovely.

Oh, and put the flashlight away when you’re done.

We don’t want this happening again, do we?

Creatures of Habit

01/12/2020 – Poem a Day Compilation



The alarm went off at 6am

And he played on his phone for an hour



My alarm went off at 7am

But I hit snooze three times



He had breakfast and was gone

Before the clock chimed for 8am



I was still in my pyjamas

When the clock sounded for 9am



He had wade though a mountain of paperwork

When 10am rolled by



I had thought vaguely about having brunch

When 11am rolled on by



He had a lunch meeting at 12 noon

That was more meeting than it was lunch



I had a skype session at 1pm

With my friend who moved overseas



He was going over the monthly reports

At 2pm with his colleagues



I was staring at a submission deadline

At 3pm with my editor



He was making the last few phone calls at 4pm

Ready to call it a day



I was making the 17 major edits at 5pm

That would turn my work into a masterpiece



He was heading home on the train at 6pm

Thankful another day was over



I was putting dinner on the table at 7pm

Waiting for the door to swing open



We were fed and watching TV

His head in my lap at 8pm



We traipsed up to bed at 9pm

But that’s not for you to know



He fell asleep looking so peaceful

As the clocked showed 10pm



I was still typing away feverishly

As the clocked lit up for 11pm



We would do it all again in a few hours

As a new day found us at midnight.

The Musician’s Wife

16/10/2020 – Poem a Day Compilation



“Oh, your husband is a genius.”

Yes, he’s very talented at music,

He has quite the knack for getting the notes

To make the most beautiful sounds.



But he has no idea how to cook a meal –

I think even toast might be beyond him,

Let alone a 3-course dinner for guests,

Though I think he can manage a jam sandwich.



Don’t even ask him to put on a load of washing –

I think he thinks the clothes wash themselves,

As if by magic making their way from the floor

To the laundry and out onto the line.



I can’t remember the last time he shopped –

Even walking to the convenience store

To pick up a loaf of bread or a litre of milk

Is too much of a challenge for him.



“Oh, but he’s so busy with his composing.”

Yes, it does take up a lot of his time

And it is important that he does it

Because it does bring in some money.



But I, too have a full-time job I do –

I don’t just sit around waiting on him

Yet sometimes I feel like a servant,

Or worse, like an unindentured slave.



I get up always at the crack of dawn –

Breakfast is made, children are dressed

And the house is tidied as best it can be

Before I drive myself to the office.



When I get home, I see nothing is done –

The post is still in the letterbox,

The children have made themselves snacks

And toys are scattered around the place.



“Oh, but children need their mother.”

Yes, they do, and I love them dearly,

I would never give them up for anything,

They mean the world to me.



But they also need their father –

Who could perhaps spare an afternoon

To take them to the park to play

Or turn up to their school concerts.



Maybe, he could make sure they’ve bathed –

For all his talk, years ago, of wanting children

He has scant showed an interest in their lives

Except to boast of their achievements.



Would it really be such a bother to the world –

If his latest masterpiece took a week longer?

If his magnus opus was delayed a little?

If his life’s work involved more than music?



“Oh, but he’s an artist.”

Yes, but sometimes I wish he weren’t.

Wedding Day

04/06/2020 – Iso Well-Being Compilation

 

I’ve given up on the idea of a wedding.

 

The Dress

The Bouquet

The Ring

 

I’d quite fancy a big party but

I don’t think I like that many people.

 

I held on to the desire for my own wedding

For such a long time,

And even now, sometimes,

A flicker of hope can be seen

Like an ember in a dying fire.

 

Maybe because it’s hard to let go

Of the feeling that maybe,

Someday,

Someone would love you enough

To want to spend their life with you.

 

But that’s not going to happen.

At Last (First Dance)

29/05/2020 – Iso Well-Being Compilation

 

When I saw you, I knew

That this is where we’d end up

And, though it took a while to admit,

I couldn’t imagine life without you.

 

We’ve had our ups and downs,

Not always been in step with each other,

But we so often come together

When it really matters.

 

We’ve tripped and stumbled,

And caught each other when we’ve fallen,

With never a question as to our love,

Or to where our heart lies now.

 

I’ve never felt as safe as I do

Wrapped in your arms right now

And though we may sway from time to time

I don’t fear you letting me go.

 

You spin me round and pulled me in,

But I’m never more dizzy than when

We’re standing close, cheek to cheek,

And you whisper in my ear.

 

The whirl of love in its early days

May have lost a beat or two,

Though I’d never change this journey

That has brought us to this point.

 

I look forward to our future

As we twirl through this thing called life,

Happy in our own small world

Two motes in a vast universe.

 

As we take the floor, at last,

Just we two together,

There’s no fancy pirouette or grand jete –

Just our first dance joined as one.

In battle

Here I sit in quiet contemplation

Regretting all I didn’t say to you

Knowing I couldn’t say it, still

Wanting to be more brave,

Or perhaps more stupid, than before

Because I’ve wanted to tell you

So many times up til this point.

Maybe you know but can’t say

For the same reasons that I can’t

And all that’s keeping us from each other

Is a thirty year old pledge

As worthless as the paper it’s written on.

I didn’t have the courage fifteen years ago,

When we sat together for what felt like forever,

And you confessed to me that it was simply

A vow you had made and couldn’t break.

I was afraid of what you were telling me

And relieved that you didn’t ask it of me

But now my feelings are conflicted

And I don’t know if I want to give in

Or be stronger than I ever thought possible.

I wish I could have relied on Dutch courage,

And been open and honest with you,

Because I’d carry any baggage you had,

I’d take the weight of the world on my shoulders

And receive the guilt that was laid at my door.