We are both of an age now,
Both in our seventies,
My brother and I,
He is three years younger,
Younger than I am
And all our lives we have got on.
In our youth we were competitive,
Competitive in racket sports.
He could beat me at Squash,
I could beat him and Badminton,
But Tennis was the game,
The game where equality ruled.
We just would not give in,
Not give in to each other.
Sweat poured from our bodies
When we came off the court,
Almost crawling off,
As we would do our best,
Do our best to beat each other.
We no longer play
But we do compete.
We both left home knowing,
Knowing how to cook.
So now when he and his wife
Come to dine with us
I try to him make the best meal,
The best meal he’s ever had.
And equally when we dine with them
He tries to make me the best meal,
The best meal I’ve ever had.
And the one thing that I have won
Is my hair,
My hair has some grey in it
But I have fewer grey hairs,
Fewer grey hairs than my younger brother.