This is the story I’m still trying to amend,

The poem I attempt to remember.

The one where there’s a definitive end

Which finishes happy ever after.

Somewhere along the journey we fought

Against not alongside each other,

We should have been battling with ogres

but instead we punched one another.

We might have defeated the slavering wolf,

Feasted o...

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The day I came in bouncing happy,

You cut my legs off at the knees.

At the time you said I'm sorry,

I have no capacity for such frivolity.

You tore my arms off at my elbows,

Because my touch left you exposed

to thoughts you never choose to show

and my love of hugging was a no-no.

You stitched my lips with copper wire,

Silenced my expressions of de...

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It never had to be

True to anything,

No imaginings in

This hard cold place

of Gradgrind notions.

No space

 for human emotions

with Mills and Boon

connotations

in your scared home

of fear and frigid heed.

But palpably I suspect you care.

I believe in a cautious kindling -

Because your arms are warm;

And sometimes unawares,

I watch you s...

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The small pond expands
with autumn's tepid rainfall
In ice nothing thrives.

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I won't do lunch at Marks and Sparks,

take the car on weekend drives

then park and lurk at poxy landmarks.

I say no way to nine to fives,

a mannequin on intercity,

I just say NO to domesticity.

Folding towels and ironing knickers?

Fridays are not known as tidy.

No to washing cars on sunday.

And creating brownies, that's for bakers.

NO.  Away with all that...

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This latest ascent, I took first lead;

we both recalled it from fresher years,

when we were newer, climbing harder,

reckless in our need to succeed.

The route seemed changed to older eyes;

we move in measured, smaller ways,

with precision, our motions steady,

we're still compelled to climb when ready.

Living insists we accept the belay

today, but ...

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