For absent friends
To Pam
This poem comes from me to you with love
To remember friendship that blossoms still
New like the bud that forms in spring
And then for a while the skies above
Are filled with richness that friendship brings
Friends, like blossom, bloom and glow
With cheerful radiance in our lives
In time, though friends, like blossom, go
Yet in due season, Spring arrives
To Vicki
9 Dec 2015
Our friendship was fermented in a kimchi pot
Salted down at first, our leaves overlapped
And were rinsed with laughter as we learnt a lot
Of how many colours (five) go in Bibimbap
Next red pepper flakes were added to make a piquant paste
With ginger, garlic, pear juice; all mixed in a bowl
We did some Scottish dancing and found a common taste
For sharing fun adventures all over Seoul
Now lay it down and leave it, let fermentation start
Its flavour will develop if you have made it well
For friendship is a wondrous thing that develops in the heart
And very like good kimchi, except for the smell
To Lalitha and Maria
Cherry Blossom
6 April 2014
My friend Lalitha wouldn't go
To see the blossom, white as snow
She hardly went outside, you see
Not even to see friends like me
She burned the candle at both ends
Then served high tea to make amends
And so Maria hatched a plan
To bring her out to get a tan
And see the blossom, snowy white
So pretty in the morning light
Upon the Ansan mountainside
(Though there are others, far and wide)
Maria counted upon Sally
To get her out: "Don't dilly-dally!
She has to be home by eleven
One hour to get a taste of heaven
It isn't much, but has to do"
And so we very nearly flew
We ran down hill and jumped in cab
We hopped out two blocks later - fab!
We skipped a few yards past the river
No time to chat, we didn't dither
Or pause for selfies, not until
We met Maria by watermill
And when we started up the trail
The cherry trees could hardly fail
To catch the eye and fill the sense
It seemed for us to recompense
For all the trouble Lalitha gave
When we enticed her from her cave
Stunned Silence
24 June 2016
For Valeria, Gosia and all my European friends who love Britain
Yet the sun will still shine and the rain pour
On England, which I suppose we should be grateful for
And everything continued just the same all day
I visited my friends and talked the usual way
Of this and that. Coffee was drunk and children were discussed
And much remained unchanged, but even so it must be said
That friends that I hold dear, today arose from bed
Feeling less welcome, knowing that these green and pleasant lands
(Watered by the clouds and nurtured by the sun
Which yesterday belonged to everyone)
Have been withdrawn by millions of hands
Planting their X like a farewell kiss on Europe's face
Determining of her to wipe away all trace
And we, like children who took sides in their parents' separation
Have allowed that our friends became the objects of suspicion
Departure
28 August 2017
I saw your tears through the window of the train
I saw them fall, and from afar I felt your pain
From nearby, I watched so helplessly
Only a pane of glass between us, you and me
But I was already on my way
Our goodbyes said, my life was moving on
I left you alone before the train was even gone
I opened up the train doors to make you smile again
To pass the time between goodbyes, my friend
But as we waited, Time was done
From afar I feel so helplessly
Time standing still between us, you and me
Our separate lives flash forwards, linked
By bonds of friendship unchangeably inked
On parchment both our hearts can see
Time is our friend and yet our foe
He departs so fast, and arrives so slow
He stands aside when we both greet
As if in shame for his unkind deceit
As daily, year by year, we meet
Until that day arrives, my friend
May Time come running round the bend
Wherever we will meet again
Be it soon or who knows when
May Time be less our foe and more our friend
For Judith
30 March 1962 - 23 August 2015
16 Dec 2014
I stared into a well of love
The well was deep, no ordinary means
Could quench our thirst
One sidedly, I threw my pebble news
To fill the void between us
Patiently, you drank me in
Wordlessly, you strained to fill my cup
And your eyes spoke volumes of your love
The friend I love speaks still
But not by ordinary means
Deep waters stirred and swelled
I came home drenched in love
