Friday, January 20, 2006

I love you, Iris!

Monday, January 29th 1973, saw me back in my old office once more. While the two weeks away in Warrington made a change, I was happy to be back. The events of last Saturday evening and the improved relationship with Iris made me pleased that I hadn’t accepted a permanent posting there.
Iris and I were out together several times this week. Wednesday, Jan. 31st, saw the end of our first month. I had taken her out to dinner and she looked so very attractive. It was though she had made a special effort for me after being away for the past couple of weeks. It was on this occasion that I plucked up courage to give her the poetry I had written earlier. She read it and said that nobody had ever written poetry for her. I told her that I was in love with her. I dreaded what she was going to say but she replied, “I know you are, please give me a little time.” They were the most marvellous words I’d ever head from her. She could have all the time in the world!
That January was a strange time for me. The early days of doubt and uncertainty were followed by a feeling of utter frustration. However, those last few days at the end of the month made up for all the knock-backs and disappointments that had plagued me earlier. February was going to be much better!

Poetry was going to figure quite a lot in out future relationship. Over the years, I wrote more than forty poems to Iris. I never missed writing one for her birthday and for our (unofficial) anniversaries.
The earliest one I wrote was not one of my best but I’ll reproduce it here as it was the one in which I first told of my love for her.

To Iris… Just hoping. Jan ‘73

I dream of holding you so near
And hope your doubts will disappear,
And let me to your heart endear,
And prove to you my love.

I think of you when we’re apart,
I wish that I could melt your heart
And make your loneliness depart,
And prove to you my love.

And waking in the early morn,
I hope this day, some love is born.
I rise to greet the lonely dawn,
And prove to you my love.

Since first we met, my feelings grew,
Now I can’t hide my love for you.
I pledge this heart of mine so true,
And prove to you my love.

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