Monday, 29 November 2010

On Clare Bridge

As I took this photo the woman paused beside me
and when I had finished I thanked her.

"It is even more beautiful in the winter
than it is in the summer." she said.

"Shall I tell you something..." I replied
"I walked across this bridge
twenty five years ago as a young bride
because I was married in the chapel."


She was older than me and she smiled
"And are you the same person now
as you were then?"


I thought of all that had passed in that time
"No...no, I am not that person"

"But there is continuity...no?"
I thought of MissM visiting the Charming MasterN
in this same college and I smiled back at her
"Yes, of course there is continuity."

And she turned away from me,
this stranger who had offered such compassionate insight,
and walked over the bridge.

17 comments:

  1. WOW!

    ( the word verification I just had to type said mushi! )

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  2. My reaction also is... lovely

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  3. You make me want to go back to the park and look again at where I got married. And I was only there a few days ago.

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  4. You make me want to go back to the park and look again at where I got married. And I was only there a few days ago.

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  5. And it even snowed for you. Cambridge is indeed stunning at this time of year - well, the colleges are, anyway.

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  6. Beautiful; but oh dear, another of those posts where you should have started with a warning about having a hanky at the ready.....

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  7. I love Clare bridge, especially when the pathway is lit up at night. I usually walk into town through King's and then back through Clare and I never tire of the feeling of peace and wonder that it gives me. I don't usually encouter wise women though so that was a very special meeting that you had!

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