Warning

Warning
Jenny Joseph

When I am an old woman I shall wear purple
With a red hat which doesn't go, and doesn't suit me.
And I shall spend my pension on brandy and summer gloves
and satin sandals and say we've no money for butter.
I shall sit down on the pavement when I'm tired
and gobble up samples in shops and press alarm bells
And run my stick along the public railings
And make up for the sobriety of my youth.
I shall go out in my slippers in the rain
And pick the flowers in other people's gardens
And learn to spit.

You can wear terrible shirts and grow more fat
And eat three pounds of sausages at a go
Or only bread and pickle for a week
And hoard pens and pencils and beermats and things in boxes.

But now we must have clothes that keep us dry
And pay our rent and not swear in the street
And set a good example for the children.
We must have friends to dinner and read the papers.

But maybe I ought to practice a little now?
So people who know me are not too shocked and surprised
When suddenly I am old, and start to wear purple.

Discovered Love Letters

For your sake, Ginny dearest, I must succeed. Your happiness, your pride, all your physical and mental well-being depend on that. I could no more expect your love without them than I could expect to live without food or breath; I wouldn't ask it of you for I wouldn't be worth it.
For I love you, my darling, more than I'll ever be able to put into words. My only happiness is your happiness and for that I would move mountains if it were necessary. I promise you, Ginny, we will be happy. With the Lord's help and with a little understanding, we can't miss.
I love you, Ginny, now and forever,
Johnnie



But even though I don't write so well, it isn't because I don't love you for that would never be possible. I honestly and truly admit that it is only you that I love and have ever loved. I love you so very much that only you and being married to you will ever begin to satisfy all that love. Truly, Ginny, you are the center of my life and my love for you is the orbit in which I live. I love you so very very much.
And I miss you terribly. If I had had you this weekend just one day, it would have been a most blessed weekend. I'll never be able to say how acutely I longed for you every single day I was there. And to tell the truth, I probably wanted you there with me just as much to brag about how lucky I am as for any other reason. I doubt if I'll ever be so proud of anything as I am of you.
And to think that I willingly left you this summer. How could I have done such a thing? Never again!
The first day we are together I am not going to do a thing but look at you. There's too much beauty to behold to do anything else.
The second day, I'll do nothing but hold you and follow you no matter how much you try to deter me.
The next day I'm going to make up for all those kisses I've missed and there is a powerful store of them to make up for so nevermind the lipstick that morning.
After that day, then I'll be ready to do some work around the place. Like the back stile and maybe a new roof over the sheep pen or whatever needs fixing.
And then I'll take a nice long walk through the swamps with you. This time there will be no bees to sting you; I won't let them.
Shucks, it's 2:30 a.m. Bed time for me. Love you, my darling,
always
Johnnie