Do you remember?
Surely you still remember

that September
('twas summer
and roses  in the meadow
were blooming all over)

when an amourous letter
you sent to Amber-

how you heart
did flutter
and how
you did wonder
whether
she would agree
to meet you -under
night's cover-

you were 17 then
15 was Amber

restless nights
haunted you
you were all over:
would she reply
your letter?

You were
not yourself
and your parents
asked: Do you
have a fever?

Not a word
did you utter

a week went by
and by the post-box
you did linger
but no postman
came over-

school you missed
' I'm unwell, Miss Clover....'
and quite concerned
was your headmaster-

how you did despair
like none other
struck by
love's poisoned arrow-

on one dark
and gloomy morrow
came at last
the long-awaited letter

you rushed to open
(how your hands
did shiver!)

its contents
were brief:
' I've chosen Arthur
please forget me
dear Peter'

When in-laws pay their visit
a cloud descends on the family:
when will they leave?
A day is like a century-

how they talk and advise
with such alacrity and impunity
they can't be contradicted
or they'll turn enemy-

too eager they are
to share their past history:
' Do you know I was the Beauty-Queen?
  All the handsome young men fell desperately for me!'

The father-in-law must have his say:
' I was a Colonel in the Royal Military
  in Flanders Field I fought with distinction
  to our country I brought honour and glory!'

  Meal-times are moments most trying
  nothing suits their tastes-- not even to the slightest degree
  so they suggest dining out for the whole family
  but they will not volunteer to take out any money!

Laws are men-made
men are fallible
ergo,  no law is infallible

Don't tell me
the bravest
have no fear
or fears-
human they are
like me and you-
their strength
does wane
they falter too

for courage
is relative
a matter of degree-
in the battle-field
death stares
at their faces
they'd wish
to return to family
and abandon
possible victory

prudence
is stronger
than bravery

the bravest prefer
to live than to die
for king or country

The hard part
is not doing
how people inch to act
they know no ceasing

myriad words they pour out
daily,- unending
bent only on
the same thinking

their minds too stimulated
never in silence, resting
other people's ideas
they can't stop picking

what has been taken in
  is like leech sticking
on the skin-  time rushes in compounding
  what's left is but the death of meaning

They were always
ahead of me
but somehow
theirs was not the victory

on past knowledge
they relied-- blindly
and were not aware
I'd since changed my strategy

H   Hold on

O  Open to possibilities

P   Partner it

E    Engage with it