Next up I welcome back Jan with her poem prompted by the subject of ‘Love at first sight’. Thank you once again to Jan for her entry and for sharing her work with us.

Jan Strickland says:

FIRST LOVE

I met him on a coach trip, the year was 61

I was just turned 16 and out to have some fun

We travelled across Europe with a week in Italy

At the end of which, I just knew, he was going to marry me

As the holiday ended we went our separate way

He was off to uni and me to school each day

We wrote to one another, as people do, I’m sure

But in my heart I wasn’t convinced I’d see him any more

Six years of nursing in London to earn an honest bob

He asked me up to stay in Largs if I could get a job

He had finished university and was living on the coast

And I’d had luck; a hospital had offered me a post

It was only two months later that we became engaged

My family in England were really quite amazed

You, a Minister’s wife, you must be having a laugh

But 44 years later I still love my other half

(c) Jan Strickland