{"id":8580,"date":"2021-09-16T08:21:58","date_gmt":"2021-09-16T07:21:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/stuartpoetry.art\/?p=8580"},"modified":"2021-09-16T08:24:53","modified_gmt":"2021-09-16T07:24:53","slug":"the-departing-year-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/2021\/09\/16\/the-departing-year-2\/","title":{"rendered":"The Departing Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rosalind and Helen (December 24th<\/sup>)
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

But I tell you the syntax is wrong Helen
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Would you like me to fill your glass again?
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

If you would<\/em><\/p>\n

Many people have said it does not hang together
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

What does not hang together?<\/em><\/p>\n

Shelley\u2019s poem<\/em><\/p>\n

Do you like my new PJs?
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Even Shelley admitted there were errors
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I purchased a pair for you they are on your bed
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

The obscurity might have been deliberate you know
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Your PJs are violet I know that is your favourite colour now put that silly book away and get changed
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

The gates of that dark refuge closed
\nCame to my sight and almost burst
\nThe seal of that Lethean spring<\/em><\/p>\n

But these fair shadows interposed<\/em><\/p>\n

Rosalind stood and looked at her friend who was stretched out on the easy chair near the door<\/p>\n

Very well I will put on my pyjamas it was so sweet of you to buy them for me
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

What is Christmas if two girls cannot wear new pyjamas?<\/em><\/p>\n

As her friend changed Helen picked up the poetry book and began reading Rosalind\u2019s notes<\/p>\n

See Helen see how beautiful they are
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

You know you would look beautiful in paper bag
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Nothing hinders your beauty
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Rosalind picked her book up<\/p>\n

Our story is not written in the highest style<\/em><\/p>\n

I am going to the kitchen for another bottle and when I return I expect to see that book on the bookshelf with your other books<\/em><\/p>\n

Helen left the room and returned seconds later with a bottle of wine<\/p>\n

Is the book on the shelf?<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes<\/em><\/p>\n

It isn\u2019t I can see it hidden under the cushion
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Shelley began the poem in Marlow in 1817
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Quiet<\/em><\/p>\n

Rosalind picked her book up and returned it to the shelf<\/p>\n

Her take this it is cheap and nasty
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Blotto<\/em><\/p>\n

Blotto
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Helen sat next to her friend and kissed her lightly on the cheek<\/p>\n

Duly at evening Helen came
\nTo this lone silent spot
\nAnd soothed her own dark lot
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

You have missed some lines<\/em><\/p>\n

I know
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Oh precise Rosalind you are as flawed as I am
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

No I am as unflawed as I was one minute ago
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Then why miss the lines?<\/em><\/p>\n

Why do you think?
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

You are playing games again
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

No the answer is simple sweet Helen
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

But I will not tell you until Christmas day is upon us
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Rosalind drew her friend closer no more words were exchanged and the only sound that could be heard was the flickering of tree lights<\/p>\n

Christmas Day was only a matter minutes away but when it arrived it found both Rosalind and Helen asleep<\/p>\n

Deep in each other\u2019s arms<\/p>\n

Lanzarote (December 25th<\/sup>)
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

I was sitting on a bench outside of a supermarket when you rang me<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

It was Christmas Day<\/p>\n

You were on a beach in Lanzarote<\/p>\n

I asked you to purchase a German football magazine for me<\/p>\n

You agreed and enquired of my day<\/p>\n

My feet are in the sun but there is much shadow today
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I am sitting in the sun as the air is warm
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

A loose parasol protects me but my feet are exposed as yours are exposed
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

We share the same sun
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

As I walked towards the Underground Station you met me by the bookstall<\/p>\n

You were wearing a pink bikini but attracted no attention<\/p>\n

Are you not cold as the air is sharp?
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

This is only a fleeting visit as I will have to return to the island almost immediately to pick up my belongings
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

But do not fear for I will return quite soon
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I said nothing as we walked towards the Underground Station<\/p>\n

We will be catching different trains
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Yours will be going west and mine will be going south
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

The hall of the station was crowded with seasonal travellers<\/p>\n

You touched my arm and kissed me lightly on the lips<\/p>\n

Look for me on the platform and wave and I will return the favour<\/em><\/p>\n

And then you were gone<\/p>\n

I made my way to the platform<\/p>\n

Our trains arrived simultaneously<\/p>\n

\u00a0
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I looked through window of the carriage hoping to catch a glimpse of you departing<\/p>\n

But you were not there<\/p>\n

As my train moved away I looked at my bare feet<\/p>\n

Hoping to see your reflection<\/p>\n

Sir Francis Drake (December 26th<\/sup>)
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

We let his coffin slip into the sea in the bay of Porto Bello<\/p>\n

A poet on the shore wrote<\/p>\n

The waves became his winding sheet the waters were his tomb
\nBut for his fame the ocean sea was not sufficient room
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I did not listen to these words<\/p>\n

The strangled echoes of the muskets and the guns hung around the bay<\/p>\n

Godfrey looked up<\/p>\n

What are you doing Godfrey you are awfully quiet
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I was just reading an account of Drake\u2019s passing
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Lighten up man for we are about to travel in time to meet the New Year
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Yes I will finish now
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Do you know that Drake only survived Hawkins by eleven weeks?<\/em><\/p>\n

I think he died of a broken heart<\/em><\/p>\n

Bernard placed a glass of sherry on the Sorrento next to his friend<\/p>\n

Here drink this as I think gales are imminent
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

I would not want you stranded in this week above all others
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Just over an hour later both men left the house comfortable with their meagre luggage<\/p>\n

It is going to be a long journey my friend sometimes dangerous but it will be a journey full of rewards\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rosalind and Helen (December 24th) But I tell you the syntax is wrong Helen Would you like me to fill your glass again? If you would Many people have said it does not hang together What does not hang together? Shelley\u2019s poem Do you like my new PJs? Even Shelley admitted there were errors I […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8580"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8580"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8580\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8580"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8580"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/stuartmillerosborne.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8580"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}