You sold yourself so short

In memory of Ted Hughes

You deserved it

Outside the great court

After all our courtship

You sold yourself short

So short

Too cautious, so obvious

You chose less risk

Thinking it was safe

That he would never see you lit,

To turn your back on changing sea

And boat your passions on a lake.

Do you pretend

For a second

That I could not have made that conflict quicken

As you scurried sticky

Under the Plane trees.

I let you shrink

Not worth the ring

Not the worth the mink.

We pretended

Long after it all went awry

When you became offended

That I said your mother had surrendered

In Kent, to defeat.

And I became offended

That you couldn't think on your feet.

You can carry on pretending.

You won't forget me

Or forgive yourself

For missing out on love

However old you grow.

I saw your wedding photos

Who were you thinking of, what

That day?