I have been inspired to write this poem because of two posts on the loss of friends and the importance of making sure in our busy lives that we spend precious times with those we love and care for. These are Victoria Slotto and A Poetry Pub Post.
It is almost a year that I lost my oldest friend. She was just 60 but we had known one another for almost 56 years. We were neighbours and friends in our childhood and were neighbours again when my children were young.
In our childhood we were always playing outside and there were many open spaces for us to discover. We grew up in a place that was not so popular and posh then by the river Thames. We had the streets, alleys, allotments, reservoirs and Barnes Common when older to run off to with friends.
MY FIRST FRIEND
My first friend is the first, of my friends, to leave me,
And how I miss the mulling over of mindful memory.
Different understandings of the way things were.
Unlocking distant sounds, intensifying colours
To share for tea or coffee in our November years.
First, we would have played inside each other’s houses.
In mine, there were the many furry beasts to care for.
In hers, we taught and tended to the tiny dolls.
With mothers close by, ready to prepare our tea.
From the inside to the outside, first, we went into our gardens,
Or were these more just backyards behind the tall terraces.
A sparkling outside toilet I got locked in.
A perfect patch of grass was all we had to sit on.
Further first we ventured, out beyond the gates,
Into a shared back alley and a ruined place.
A building for our nightmares an alley for our games.
Budge, In the River, Hide and Seek and planes.
A first to wander further, faster up the street,
Legs pushing scooters or roller blading skates.
Further on we ventured towards the open skies
Into the green spaces of our childhood friends and games
First we wandered near her father, digging deep into
The turf of his allotment, just up the terraced street
Dodging folk along the paths to our mysterious marsh,
To the deep dug out waters of the then so many laughs
Further first when we were older with guide dog pups to walk
From Surreyside to Middlesex, to Hammersmith upon
the bridge of dreams, suspended from its mighty girders,
Staring through the gaps down to the swirling currents.
First to go together to Saturday Morning Pictures.
First to take the bus to different swimming pools.
First to take ourselves to picnic on Barnes Common.
First to wander wild along the river’s Surrey side .
We shared a kind of childhood that we think should be remembered,
A childhood that was free to explore green and vibrant spaces,
Letting us run so far and deep in the breath of the wild.
With the passing of the years we pray we don’t lose that child.
Adventure and wonderment
of childhood.. where meadows
never end.. and grass
runs so deep
between
our
toes..
a leave
are we then..
to find those sprigs
now still between toes
of free.. is feat of Liberation Now..:)
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That’s a really poetic response and conjures up those days we have lost.
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Thanks for the inspiration of your poetry..:)
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Note.. there seems
to be an issue with
your link.. as it
seems
to direct
somewhere
else.. but not
hard to find for
those of us who
don’t easily give up..
and that is a gift of Love
in
IT
self..;)
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Thanks, am not very good on this url linking. Sometimes think it’s the iPad. Made for passive reading and not creating. I think…
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Smiles.. You are welcome and I agree about the iPad..:)
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I think someone has corrected the link for me. I think I might have missed out part of my blog name and used a former site. So am amazed by such a wonderful community of poets!
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Smiles.. Great!
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If you’re Georgina Wright then I’m glad I found you through your comment left on dVerse Poets. If you’re not Georgina then nevermind. 🙂 But anyway, I loved your poem telling of you and your childhood friend. And I’m very sorry for your loss of her. I grew up being able to explore far and wide in our neighborhood like it sounds as if you did too. And I agree, these childhoods should be remembered. We had many children living near us (me and my five siblings) and I had a best friend too who is now having treatment for cancer. I guess we’re at that age where we may start losing some of our friends.
Gayle ~
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Yes, I am Georgina. And thanks for your comments. Some of us are coming to that age and it is sad to lose friends.mI think our mor
e free to roam childhoods were really important experiences. Glad you had one too and I’ll try and follow up on your blog.When in Spain we don’t have 24 hour wifi…yet. Reception can be a problem but I enjoy looking at others blogs.
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Oh good, then I’m glad I clicked on your comment on dVerse and found you after all since your link wasn’t working.
No worries, about catching up with my blog given your erratic wifi but I’m happy for the connection and having you post your poem on dVerse.
Gayle ~
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Thanks Gayle and I have a bit more wifi time soon and will go through the links.easier on my laptop than the iPad…
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I did correct your link.. So now it’s pointing here. What a nice and sweet poem, and so sad that in everything first you did, you were also first to part.
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Thanks for correcting the link. I think I may have missed out the nature part of my blog. When I spoke to her sister after she had died I called her for the first time my first friend and realised the important parts of childhood we had shared and now wouldn’t be able to chat about.
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In so very sorry to hear of your loss. But such wonderful memories ..
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Thank You and yes good memories are helpful.
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Precious memories, sorry for your loss. Beautiful tribute.
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Thanks for your kind words.
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What a treasure of a friend you had ~ I specially love this part:
We shared a kind of childhood that we think should be remembered,
A childhood that was free to explore green and vibrant spaces,
Letting us run so far and deep in the breath of the wild.
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Thanks and I decided on we as she was a headteacher who really loved children.
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Beautiful words, memories, and tribute!
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Thanks !
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I hesitate to say that I haven’t yet lost a close friend, but there are no end of sorrows in our age group. You’re right to celebrate life while we can. 🙂
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That is what one of my other friends says. I suppose we don’t really think we’re getting to a more risky age but should make sure we keep in touch and spend time together .
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So glad you joined in. I was going to link you, but I see someone else already did. I don’t think I can join up today…maybe later. A little crazy in my life right now.
I love your work and the nostalgia woven through it. Friendship is such a beautiful gift–to be cherished while we have it and remembered fondly after loss. Look forward to seeing you around dVerse very often.
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This is beautiful! Thank you for capturing what it’s like to have a friend through all these stages of life. I’m not ready to say goodbye.
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Thanks and I know I will miss her being around as she had just retired from a very busy job as a headteacher. Maybe it should never be goodbye and like the Spanish Hasta luego, until next time and who knows…
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Wonderful! Take care. Bob
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I really love all the layers you wove into this, so much depth and feeling, I really got a sense of all the years you knew each other. A beautiful tribute, and I am sorry for your loss.
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The loss of friends leaves holes in our lives. They cannot be replaced but the memories and love are vibrant. That will always remain. Nice poem Georgina. You said it.
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Thanks and it was inspired by this dverspoetry pub but am still not good on providing links.
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a beautiful mix of the somberness and delights of memories.
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Thanks, it was something I was trying to resolve since her death .
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Beautifully written. My first friend was the first to pass away and so your poem had special meaning for me. Made me teary!
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Oh I’m so sorry, it is such a special relationship.
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So well said! Thanks for sharing.
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Your friend was lucky to have had you as a friend, you remember her so affectionately.
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Thank you, I think she did understand but there was little time to be together before she died.
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Such a beautiful poem for your friend. I’m so sorry you lost her. Grief is so difficult. Sometimes it seems unbearable, coming in waves – sometimes tidal, sometimes the sweet lapping of waves upon the shore. All I can say is love yourself through it, and may you come through to the other side with Grace and the loving smiles of memory.
Peace
Mary
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Thank you fo your thoughts.
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Beautiful tribute, sorry for your loss
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Thank you!
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A beautiful poem. Thank you. 🐞
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