I watch her <br />move about <br /> <br />now in brightness <br />now silhouetted by the light <br /> <br />suffused with love <br />...with light <br /> <br /> <br />(all red hair flying <br />as she runs to meet him <br /> <br />he clicks the shutter <br />just before <br />she reaches him <br /> <br />flings herself <br />into his arms <br /> <br />sending the camera flying <br /> <br />her yellow blouse <br />& magenta skirt <br /> <br />turning now) <br />into the black & white <br /> <br />of this favourite photo <br />of 40 years ago or more <br /> <br />perched above <br />a roaring fire <br /> <br />that keeps the wolfish winter at bay <br /> <br />aided and abetted by a clock <br />with porcelain tick-tocks <br /> <br />& a flamenco doll <br />from touristy Spain <br /> <br />from sister Flo <br />(and with whom she never did get along) . <br /> <br />This is all she has <br />to fight Time with. <br /> <br />She so young then so <br /> <br />invincible <br />in her delight. <br /> <br />I watch her now <br />potter about <br /> <br />a halo of white white hair <br /> <br />her beautiful faded hands <br />making me a pot of Earl Grey tea. <br /> <br />She falls asleep <br />in the middle of talking to me <br /> <br />as the photo <br />comes alive <br /> <br />both dreaming the other. <br /> <br />I kiss her <br />sleeping head <br /> <br />tuck in her cover <br /> <br />my heart knowing that I love her <br /> <br />both in the times <br />that I didn’t know her <br /> <br />and that <br />I know her.<br /><br />Dónall Dempsey<br /><br />http://www.poemhunter.com/poem/loving-her-both-times-forever/
