A Continuation of Reflections

My dear friend Anne sent this poem to me in an email,on my birthday,and said the book was in the post, when it arrived "Red Cherry Red by Jackie Kay I see there is also a verse called ,my bad points...she was kind enough to leave that out. I will of course publish this too.....in time.... My good points: I am fresh, novel, the genuine article. I am unprecedented. From the word go, a healthy ego; I'm incomparable, bold and original. Never backwards in coming forwards. Never put off for tomorrow what I can do today.I rise at dawn with the cockerel. I reap the fruits. I put my good foot first. I also first foot. I am phenomenal, first among equals. I took the first step. I made the first move. I always stand up to be counted. I don't run away from the truth. I get things first hand; I come straight to the point. "Hold on, hold on," I say "First things first" To sum up: I'm quite exceptional.

Bittersweet moment on a Paris street. He : "Excuse Madame" She: "I am sorry I don't speak French" He: "My English is very bad" She "My French too" He: "Have you got a cigarette"? She: " I am sorry,I don't smoke" He: "No problem,au revoir Madame" And the young man walked away.leaving the the older woman with an acute sense of loss. May 2004 ,Paris, Helen Collins

Dearest dad, we have come to the two year anniversary of your death. October 5th was the date you left us. My heart was broken that day and I realise I will never be the same person now that you are gone. The last two years have been hard but I have kept going through the tough times. I am mostly OK but the 5th was very hard, I felt very tearful and missed you as much as ever that day. I saw you at the five trees, it is very comforting having your ashes there, I imagine you in the trunk, bark,branches and the leaves. I heard the other day  on the radio, someone saying that when someone dies we have to find a new way of having our relationship with them. This made complete sense to me pa. I have been finding my way with you. You would like the Collins Family Facebook album that Wendy started, lots of pictures going up,it is really lovely.Some very special pictures of you in the 5th. Sam and Louise are having a little boy, we now know, so your first great grandc...