Beyond the window the cold of the night
the frosted trees all naked and white,
But in the room so warm and sedate
hot coals glowed in an old iron grate.
Sharing the seat of a large leather chair
the old couple sat with silvery hair.
Her hand was on his as if in prayer
her touch as cold as the outside air.

"See the hourglass", said he, "with the sand inside,
the grains above are ebbing like the tide.
It's just like our lives, not always clover
but I wish I could turn the hourglass over.
We would feel the years falling away
and we would go back to yesterday.
We would court again like we did back then
and soon fall in love all over again.
Once more I would ask you to marry me
but I wonder now what your answer would be".

The creases deepened with the width of her smile
as she pondered her answer for just awhile.
"I'd say yes, my dear, as I did before
it was always you. I never wanted more."

Then they kissed their final kiss
as together they stood at the brink of the abyss.
The end of a love affair just for two
and the last grain of sand fell silently through.

                     Bob Ollier