"Long Distance"

I enjoy very much listening to the Tusa interviews! Luckily, every now and then I stumble upon some program like that; almost by mistake! And then I devour it obsessively! ...My way. Now that program is the "Tusa Interviews"
I started with the "music" related episodes, I guess as expected: the interviews with Ligeti, Birtwistle, Elliott Carter - which I found very interesting, fascinating. But then I listened to so many more: the interviews with Frank Auerbach, Anthony Caro, Howard Hodgkin, Edward Bond, etc. Today I listened to John Tusa speaking to Tony Harrison. And for that reason, I am going to post this poem of his:


Long Distance ll by Tony Harrison

Though my mother was already two years dead
Dad kept her slippers warming by the gas,
put hot water bottles her side of the bed
and still went to renew her transport pass.

You couldn't just drop in. You had to phone.
He'd put you off an hour to give him time
to clear away her things and look alone
as though his still raw love were such a crime.

He couldn't risk my blight of disbelief
though sure that very soon he'd hear her key
scrape in the rusted lock and end his grief.
He knew she'd just popped out to get the tea.

I believe life ends with death, and that is all.
You haven't both gone shopping; just the same,
in my new black leather phone book there's your name
and the disconnected number I still call.