Wendy Cope(b. 1945)

Flowers (Wendy Cope)

S o m e m e n never think of it.

You did. You'd c o m e along

And say you'd nearly brought me flowers

But s o m e t h i n g had gone wrong.

T h e s h o p was closed. Or you had d o u b t s —

T h e sort that minds like ours

D r e a m up incessantly. You thought

I might not want your flowers.

It m a d e me smile and hug you then,

Now I can only smile.

But, look, the flowers you nearly brought

Have lasted all this while.