Little Scrapbook

We moved with six houseplants

And a mattress tied on top

You held the map beside me

Till the streetlights all came on

We ate from one saucepan

On the floor of our new place

You said, "We'll find our feet here"

With the worry on your face

You were never quite as fearless

As the rest of us believed

You signed your name

With a hand that wasn't steady

Said, "I might not feel ready

But I'm starting anyway"

Claire, I've watched you make a life

Out of things you dared to try

You didn't wait for fear to go away

You signed your name

There were books across the kitchen

And your notes beside the bread

You practised saying, "I'm your nurse"

While I washed up before bed

Forty-two, your first blue uniform

You stood there in the hall

I took about a hundred pictures

You were late because of that

You signed your name

With a hand that wasn't steady

Said, "I might not feel ready

But I'm starting anyway"

Claire, I've watched you make a life

Out of things you dared to try

You didn't wait for fear to go away

You signed your name

Now there's Italian on your phone

While you're making us some tea

You say a sentence three times over

Then you try it out on me

Fifty years, and still I love

The way you talk about next June

Let's book the train, let's take the trip

I'll learn a phrase or two

You signed your name

And you made it to that morning

All the nights you kept on going

When you couldn't see the way

Claire, there's more you want to do

And I'll go on cheering you

Through every brave and ordinary day

You signed your name

Whatever comes after this

Save me a seat beside you

I'll be there, Claire

I'll be there