At 65yrs old I felt the need to contact a dear friend from childhood, other than Christmas cards we hadn’t communicated for probably 30 or more years. Our lives went in different directions when I left the area at 18.
We had a great catch up in September, the years were rolled away. I had a very sad message in February to say she had passed away, an acute illness. She will always be very special to me, woven into the fabric of my early childhood memories. I can’t sustain long distance relationships but am thankful for the people that I connect with along the way.
Beautidul, thank you, I have just rekindled a friendship from 15 years ago and it's wonderful, enjoy getting to know each other again, but also your younger self that she will bring back to you x
She is on time; I am early.
We find our clocks running
on their old machinery.
I sense the breadth of her ribcage
flowered out
where the baby has been,
the baby, like sea treasure,
the clean palm of a shell
turned up.
The question-mark
of his body
grasps my shoulder.
Time circles us.
We are the same and changed
and thirsty; her stories
are gentle as lamps
and our laughter scales walls.
At the station, she drifts back to the city
and one of my babies
goes off like a flare,
the car bloats with her noise
and my empty shoulder
is a new grief.
At 65yrs old I felt the need to contact a dear friend from childhood, other than Christmas cards we hadn’t communicated for probably 30 or more years. Our lives went in different directions when I left the area at 18.
We had a great catch up in September, the years were rolled away. I had a very sad message in February to say she had passed away, an acute illness. She will always be very special to me, woven into the fabric of my early childhood memories. I can’t sustain long distance relationships but am thankful for the people that I connect with along the way.
So beautiful. So precious.
Wondering: did her hair smell the same?
To be clear, I'm not trying to be weird, but it was such an evocative ending to your post that it left me curious.
Beautidul, thank you, I have just rekindled a friendship from 15 years ago and it's wonderful, enjoy getting to know each other again, but also your younger self that she will bring back to you x