The Smell of Perfume

The smell of perfume lingers in the air,

And though it's getting fainter day by day,

He has the hopeful feeling that she's there

And can't believe that she has gone away.

He keeps his lost love's pillow by his side,

And finds it hard to place it with his own

Succumbs to tears and never minds his pride

Keeps thinking that as ever she’ll come home,

But in his heart the bitter truth he knows

He'll never more adore her from above

No longer will he know the sweet repose

That followed her dear gift of generous love.

Thoughts of You

My days seem empty since you went away

I try to fill them up with pastimes new

But then, at length come home to lonely nights

and thoughts of you

I have so many friends who help a lot

They occupy my mind and days soon pass

I pen short tales to while away the hours

and think of you

My house is large and has so many rooms

"Why don't you move!" my friends all say to me

I look at show homes

Contemplate a change

Then think of you

They see your photo on the mantelshelf

Suggest I take it down and start anew

The say that life goes on - and I agree

But think of you

and so you're always there within my thoughts

and life is sweeter just because we met

and lived together through those golden years

I miss you so

 

Editor's note: These poems are associated with Ron's story "Catharsis"--please go read it if you haven't already.

 

Another editor's note: There is a third poem related to "Catharsis": "To My Love."

Ron is 80 years old and served with the British Army in India (and Ceylon) during World War II. He retired from the teaching profession in 1985 and, following his wife's death shortly afterwards, took up creative writing as a hobby. Since then he has had short stories and poetry published and broadcast. The North West Network of the B.B.C has broadcast seventeen of his stories.