A Marriage

 A MARRIAGE

The Pain You Bear, Is the Pain We Share

It’s that pleasure and pain time again

Her head will for days now thump

She lifts her hand to feel blood pump

It’s been with her a long long time

She smiles and says

“Long enough to call it mine”

I look at her and she at me

Pain was writ where her smile should be

She’s tried a vast array of pills

Pounded pavement round the doctors

And paid their bills

It’s not a migraine or so they say

Take this pill and it’ll go away

Another year and the pain’s still there

And silver streaks highlight her hair.

Her smile is still where it belongs

And she takes my hand and makes me strong

I find comfort in what she can do

She smiles and gives my hand a squeeze

And we turn our faces to the breeze

While the sun begins to set upon our life

I gaze at her and see all the wonder

And the beauty of you, my wife

EDNA PROBERT
Orroroo
1948

Autograph books tell us a lot

This is an entry my father Lionel Probert wrote in his Sister in Law's Autograph Book, I'm led to believe that it's his work, but can't be sure. What it does do is express the loneliness Aussie servicemen felt when they were away fighting. I'm just thankful he made it home and met my mother.

Take a moment to put yourself on a Pacific Island in 1942 then read these words and reflect on our own situation today.

Author's Lament (first draft)

My pride and joy from a former life has nothing to do with my yarnspinner's life today, but it reminds me of who and what I was, in the spring of yesterday

AUTHOR'S LAMENT

So I got a little story

And this much is what I know

Hours and hours of writing

Before it’s good enough

For the editor to go

Then back to me

And back to she

Edits by the score

Until at last it’s finished

In a package by the door.

Then off to beta readers

To tell us what they like

Or tell us what is wrong

And all the time

I wring my hands

And sing a simple song

Please oh please mister publisher

Take my letter from your pile

And please don’t

Consign it to the bin

For it took a lot of time to create

The character and plot

Just to drag you in

With my finger on the send button poised

The whole shebang has gone

To somewhere in an editor’s office

Where I hope you’ll take

Just a minute of your time

To read the cover letter

And synopsis of the plot

Because after months of writing

This is the best I’ve got