Spring sunshine glinting
on the waters of the Forth –
We gathered there,
travelling our fifty miles
from north and south,
and sat watching waves of bright blue
lapping old house walls,
as busy trains rumbled by on the bridge.
We ate, and laughed, clinked glasses;
you cut your cake, fresh-iced at Waitrose.
We talked of decades past,
your new one, just beginning.
We hugged, made our goodbyes,
'Meet soon,' we said.
A year passed, more;
the month was wintry,
a cold January, dreich with rain,
and little cheer.
I looked for unfamiliar earrings,
smeared on forgotten lipstick.
We sat together at the laptop,
just us two,
clicked on the link.
I cut my wonky un-iced cake -
its one candle, found in a drawer.
We held up glasses to the smeary screen -
We didn't talk of decades new -
instead – we toasted life,
that we were all still here.