Student Love

You who are so good with words

And at keeping things vague

Because I need some of that vagueness now

It's all come back too clearly

… Joan Baez (from Diamonds and Rust)

unlocked by thought and passion

all else gone and dust to dust

this will remain etched forever

if nothing else

part of my existence

unlocked by blood

the moon full

and the door shudders

and you are here again

wearing old clothes

coming in from the moors

late in the afternoon when cold

the horse-brasses and low oak beams

murmur of talk and drifting smoke

rattling of glasses at the bar

the barman offering pie and peas

leftovers from lunch

we unnoticed in the sit-in fireplace

absorbing the warm ambience

ebony wet matted hair

dripping on to a Tetleys coaster

your anger dissipated with the wine

I knew we would get back to the road!

… eventually …

then it was laughter and joking …

reluctantly the walk down the hill

Cow and Calf rocks receding in failing light

your bus back to the city and night duty

for me, books to open and lodgings

… wake-up! - time for bed

the music has long ended

you have been dreaming

all those dirty dishes

they need doing!

then put dog out

and a log for the night

turn fire right down low lad

it will rekindle in morning

switch off the light, it’s far too late

© Richard Scutter 12 September 2007

with certain poetic licence, I never had 'pie and peas' at the Cow and Calf ... certainly elsewhere ... and I never ever lost my way on the moors

The Cow and Calf Rocks at Ilkley