[Laura][27th March 1975]

[Redbook2:67C-F][19750327:1805][Laura][27^th March 1975]

(Copy)

19750327.1805

Laura

‘You know I’d love to sleep with you –

Which needn’t mean within you, love,

But loving you, though not “in love”,

To share my secret nights with you:

To lie with you, love, sweetest girl,

And, loving you, to know your warmth –

We may or may not lie within –

It doesn’t matter: soon we may.

But as for now, there’s no more time.’

He stoops, and kisses her again.

‘Don’t twist yourself with loving, love:

This candle isn’t worth the game.

I love you dearly, never doubt,

Nor that I need your love; but don’t

Exclude the World; And nor shall I.’

He takes her hand, and holds it close.

‘I value no one more than you.’

The girl sits silent, watching him

With sad clear eyes, but quiet, calm.

Her pale hands on her faded jeans

Lie open now, as holding air

That pours between her fingers and

Her slender, girlish thighs, and goes.

‘If anyone should come’ he says

‘Tell them you don’t know who I am.

I picked you up, and now I’ve gone.’

‘Where are you going?’ Laura asks.

‘Out of the Country.’ Michael says.

‘I’ll show myself, to keep you clear,

Before I lose them somewhere else.’

‘Thank you for helping me.’ she says.

‘Hoots, it was nothing, and repaid.

Repay me more, love: be my friend,

Which I’ll repay by being yours.’

‘I wish I could love like you say.’

She says. ‘I really wish I could.

My love’s possessive: it excludes.

I’d gladly have you here and now

But only so’s I’d keep you close,

Excluding others, loving you.

It’s human nature to exclude.’

‘Then I’m not human.  But I am!

Don’t think I don’t know how you feel.

Perhaps it’s female nature more?

I don’t know. But I do know this:

Most people loving do exclude.

Most people marry to exclude.

At first, exclusion’s very nice.

But later on they tend to find

Exclusive marriage ain’t enough;

But they can’t see another way

So many marriages break down

Lacking a middle way between

Exclusion and unfaithfulness.

‘Each of us has a middle way

Which each must find before he weds.

Most couples need a middle way,

For love and happiness to live.

Having only those you’ll wed

Could get you very deeply hurt;

Having every one you meet

Could make you bored, and maybe cold.

One shouldn’t generalise: it might,

And then again it mightn’t. Well,

I’m sorry, going on like this!

I must go, or I may get caught.

Horrors! I’d have to…. Must be off!

I’ll get in touch within the month,

I hope, and tell you what to do –

If you still want to help.’

                                    ‘I do.’

‘Laura, before I go,

I’ll love you just as much as now

When you’ve got married to a bloke

Who cares for you as much as I.

That’s even if your middle way

Won’t let me sleep with you at all!

Goodbye, love.’ So he kisses her,

And takes his coat into the street.

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