THE LOVE POEM

She walks into the room and feels untouched by his presence.

He turns around, smiling warmly at her; for a change.

She puzzles.

He continues to smile. She begins to worry.

He's found the love poem and is holding it. She gasps in horror.

"Don't look so scared, it's lovely, darling," he tells her.

He never calls her darling.

"I couldn't write anything as emotional as that," he says.

He again looks at the paper she wrote on, smiling smugly.

She feels sorry that he found it.

It was not written for him.

14 September 2005