Goodbye dear friend…..

….the pain has gone away now. You may rest easy and forever dream. In the short time we have known each other we shared laughter and tears, joy and pain; but most of all we shared friendship. Friendship made through a sad situation but happy times were had by all. I promised you I would be there, and I kept my promise and never let you down. Over the months we shared stories, tales and one liners. We laughed and we cried, we giggled and we chuckled, sometimes alone but more often together. You played me video clips, audio clips and the stories behind them were told in true style. I loved this, I wanted more at the end of each one….memories of my late grandfather came back to me in abundance.

Whilst you slept out your finals hours I told you “my” stories…..the deepest words from the heart of my soul. I didn’t know if you could hear me, and I never will. But you leave with me the knowledge; the knowledge that I tried my best for you my dear friend. I could do no more.  The last clip you ever played me by WH Auden was a poem called “Night Mail” and today as we said our goodbyes it was played again. The words were so poignant  a tear welled in my eye….So in the words of WH Auden I will bid you goodbye dear friend.

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.

Just wanted to share this….please take a look

This image was taken by my good friend Jean Phillips. I have to say that this is right up my street and I think it’s absolutely fantastic. Jean has just got a new camera and her photography is coming on in leaps and bounds. Very impressive Jean.

If you want to see more of Jeans work, her flickr account can be found here

Thanks for looking. Come back soon.

R.I.P. Melvyn F. Palmer

A great friend, a nice man, a damn good photographer.
We had our giggles, we had our laughs, we had our differences, but just a few.
You will be sadly missed Mel but my memories of you will live on.

Stop all the clocks by WH Auden

Stop all the clocks, cut off the telephone,
Prevent the dog from barking with a juicy bone,
Silence the pianos and with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin, let the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky the message He Is Dead,
Put crepe bows round the white necks of the public doves,
Let the traffic policemen wear black cotton gloves.

He was my North, my South, my East and West,
My working week and my Sunday rest,
My noon, my midnight, my talk, my song;
I thought that love would last for ever: I was wrong.

The stars are not wanted now: put out every one;
Pack up the moon and dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can ever come to any good.