I ... entered the poem of life, whose purpose is ... simply to witness the beauties of the world, to discover the many forms that love can take. (Barabara Blackman in 'Glass After Glass')

These poems are works in progress and may be updated without notice. Nevertheless copyright applies to all writings here and all photos (which are either my own or used with permission). Thank you for your comments. I read and appreciate them all, and reply here to specific points that seem to need it — or as I have the leisure. Otherwise I reciprocate by reading and commenting on your blog posts as much as possible.

28 June 2017

Now You've Gone and Done It

For Rae

When he wished me Happy Birthday,
I emailed back: '75. So I'm having
a week at least of celebrations. How 
are you going?'  'Running to catch up 
to you,' he said. 'Panting.' (He was
two years younger than me.) But now, 
18 months later, he's gone and stopped.
How could you do that? Now you'll never
catch up! Or is it I, now, who'll always be 
trailing, unable to catch up with him?


Poet Rae Desmond Jones (1941-2017) and I knew each other slightly for many years, and were aware of each other's work, but only really became friends late in life, via the internet. In those recent years I came to treasure his humour, intellect and very sweet nature. I'll miss him!

 Linking this to the latest Tuesday Platform at 'imaginary garden with real toads', where change is a theme.

 Pubiished in HAVE YOUR CHILL, July 2018

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15 comments:

  1. Samyuktha Semi Jayaprakash28 June 2017 at 05:20

    :( May his soul rest in peace.
    Always hard when someone younger passes away first..

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rosemary Nissen-Wade28 June 2017 at 07:46

      Thank you.

      It was only by two years; what is hard is losing a dear friend.

      Delete
  2. Anonymous28 June 2017 at 10:59

    Bless us all. To be remembered as a treasured memory.

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  3. Julian28 June 2017 at 20:26

    Losing someone dear is so very hard. Learning to dael with can be harder still, keep writing, Rosemary. Love and light to you.

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  4. Debi Swim29 June 2017 at 01:04

    I am so sorry for your loss. He would have smiled at this I'm sure.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Magaly Guerrero29 June 2017 at 01:26

    Sometimes, we just catch up at different times.

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  6. Sanaa Rizvi29 June 2017 at 04:41

    I am so sorry for your loss, Rosemary :(

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  7. Sherry Blue Sky29 June 2017 at 08:37

    Oh Rosemary, how sad! Yes, now we are following in his footsteps. I am so sorry.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Marian29 June 2017 at 23:43

    Running to catch up to you! That's wonderful and I'm glad for your connection, and sorry for your loss. Keep sprinting, though, Rosemary! :)

    ReplyDelete
  9. rallentanda30 June 2017 at 02:20

    Very sad. He sounded like a real sweetie.Life is hard.

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  10. Blogoratti3 July 2017 at 21:30

    Losing a close friend can be difficult, but hopefully the memories you shared will be everlasting. Wish you and his family great strength for today and always.

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  11. indybev4 July 2017 at 01:50

    No one is truly gone so long as they live on in our memories. I find losing my friends a difficult part of this phase of my life, so I identify with your words.

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  12. Rosemary Nissen-Wade7 July 2017 at 02:08

    Many thanks to everyone for the kind comments. I don't think it could be said that we were close friends – but good friends in poetry, with an easy rapport. If I'm this upset, those who were truly close must be shattered.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Unknown24 July 2017 at 07:32

    Truly an openly enigmatic charmer, Rae was and is a treasure. I love what you wrote, Rosemary.

    ReplyDelete

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