A younger man
and his older wife
at their villa south of Rome.
Both English Poets of Renown
and very far from home.
Elizabeth was fading fast
Robert held her in his arms.
Her lungs were weak
and opiates for sleep
had begun to cause her harm.
Robert said that on her last day
she was radiant as a girl.
The last word she spoke
was "Beautiful"
before she left this world.