Dedication

RUBY TUESDAY

DEDICATION

I dedicate this poem to others such as I

Who never had the 'right stuff', who never had the 'eye';

Who tried and tried to catch a ball but never managed it;

Who swung a racquet manfully but rarely made a hit.

I'd mutter underneath my breath 'This time I'm going to do it!'

But almost every single time I simply went and blew it.

I'm not suggesting this poor girl is half as bad a player.

She's clearly playing in a team and I bet she is a stayer.

But if somebody reads this verse and thinks ' It could be me'

I want to say 'Don't break you heart! It's no calamity.

O.K. you'll suffer when you're young; you'll be treated as a fool;

But there's a great big world out there, after you've left school.

You'll find that there are other folk who've suffered and moved on.

You'll find that those inferior days are quickly dead and gone.

Maybe five years of suffering sounds all too much to bear.

But you'll have fifty years or more of saying 'I don't care'.

I haven't thrown or hit a ball since 1949!

And, unless I tell them, no-one knows this sorry tale of mine.

If I wanted to, now I'm very old, I could say I was the best,

I was the Captain of my team, way ahead of all the rest.

And no-one would think of questioning my silly little lie,

Particularly if I looked them squarely in the eye!

My life's been full and satisfying, even though I lacked prowess,

And there has been no need for me to tell lies to impress.

My friends who excelled on the tennis court now have arthritic aches,

So maybe being too athletic is one of life's mistakes!

Little girl in the picture, you're not hopeless, you're not dumb.

Believe  me. you'll discover that, one day, your turn will come.'

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A MATTER OF OPINION

Marlene gazed at Wesley, looking him up and down;

They'd just returned from a night out at a restaurant in the town.

They'd met their friends and wined and dined; and now the hour was late;

Thought Wesley 'Marlene's in the mood! And I can hardly wait!'

Marlene moved up to Wesley in a rather sultry way.

And Wesley thought 'Well, now we come to the end of a perfect day!'

'Darling' murmured Marlene 'Has anyone ever said

That you're God's gift to women?'....That's exactly what she said!

Wesley said 'No!!!!', and Marlene spat, with more than a hint of spite,

'Then why did you act as though you were when we were out tonight?'

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