Early Bird.
Sweet melody maker piercing the darkness
your golden-toned notes create welcome healing.
Momentary breaker of silence this dawning
my singing-awareness helps give voice to feeling.
Oh do you sense with your early-bird piping
that by easing sad mourning you lighten grieving ?
Dear bird as by song you calm minds hearing
do you knowingly throw your kind balm over me ?
Two strokes past midnight and your smile appears
to aid me remember those decades ago when we
wrote secret messges with invisible ink and became
after lights out torch-authors of stories then gained
points if we scribbled a new chapter each bed time.
We pledged by strict ritual to keep special reminders
and when troubles beset us to stand and be counted
in defence of true friendship, lie each for each about
what, when and where , vowed with lemonade toasts
and firm handshakes that staying together meant most.
When time came for parting us sisters went two ways
one into nursing the excitable other to acting on stage
yet we talked over distance when homesickness struck
and both shoulders were cried on as life came undone.
Many confessions trust-exchanged but not forgotten
those go-between notes on romances renewed or lost.
Perfume choice citric, loving yellow you shared its glow
with your golden -curled laughter now gilding my sorrow.
Still stored in old folders our innocent poems and letters
and ever since you Sis every kindness has smelt of lemons