Jane, Jane, far from plain,
how I wish I could see you again,
Your friendship was real,
Your courage made of steel,
You were curious of mind
And your heart was kind
Both funny and caring
Status and bullshit
had no bearing
Your passions were varied
and really quite vast
So many you built
from back in the past
Not all understood
But they got you just
as best as they could
Whether politics or motorbikes
Or Santa pod or jive
Gosh you were very, very alive
Your family came first
Your passion, your purpose,
Rachel and Mark,
Ella and her art
Your partner Phil
And John too
All were very loved by you,
Over the years you opened
your home and your heart
To those from the theatre
along with their art
You trained to listen
to the stories of others
Of life, love and loss
brothers and mothers
You shared of your wisdom,
your care and compassion
For supporting others
was your true mission
So that’s how we met
The three of us
We were working together
without a fuss
Steph, you and me
We didn’t need long
For us to see
That we shared in a song
Our friendship was meant to be
We hung out together
In cafes and places
We talked about everything
While filling our faces
Whether family or fears
Or our client cases
with laughter or tears
We shared it all
Over all these years
We visited the Freud museum
And gardens and tea rooms
We shared in our joys
and we shared in our suffering
We did this thing called life together
Sharing so much more than just the weather
Jane was kind,
strong and wise,
creative and colourful
With depth in her eyes
She supported us all
And I could never imagine
What would her, befall
Our friendship has spanned over many years
And supported me personally through all my fears
Life bought highs and life bought lows
And why hers has gone now,
nobody knows
We shared together in laughter and fun
And everything else that is under the sun
we shared this precious gift of life
her absence now,
cuts like a knife
Her death seems
Very, very surreal
We’ll never again hug
Or share in a meal
How can it be that she’s no longer here
I can’t say this without shedding a tear
For Jane was as real as real can be
But she’s no longer here for you or for me
I’m so very grateful that she came
To give us her presence, invest of her love
For me, I see her
as a gift from above
On this matter, we didn’t agree
But there was always room
for you to be you
and me to be me
You gave me such kindness, love and care
When I was hurting, you found time to spare
God Almighty, this death feels so unfair
I know you wanted to watch your family grow
You didn’t want to have to go
I wonder whether you did know
There was so much love you were able to sow
You gave me the gift of your presence in my pain
And because of that I will never be the same
You reminded me just how far I had come
When I couldn’t see because I was too undone
You taught me to love myself when I’m in need
I’m very grateful that you sowed me this seed
Oh what a gift you have been to me
I wonder if you knew this was what I could see
I never told you the impact you had
And now this makes me so very sad
Of time I thought there would be more
Of this I felt so very sure
But your time was gone
And with it, the light that you shone
I’m so sorry Jane
I never told you this
of the impact you had
it was very remiss
because the friendship you gave
made me very glad
But I still see you now in your blue suede coat
Just nipping out to have a smoke
Your fingerless gloves
And your purple car
I still see you and love you
just as you are
Your kindness, compassion,
your smile and your eyes
your patience and care
through all of my sighs
you encouraged my writing
and to honour my needs
You saw, got, and loved me just as I am
and you taught me to do the same
now this holds me through all of this pain
I wish I told you when I saw you last
But now the time has already passed
So I’’ll say it here
Thank you, Jane,
for being my friend
you were thoughtful and true
right to the end
Jane, Jane,
You were far from plain
Oh how I long to see you again
But grateful I do remain
that you came
And now you live on
deep in my heart
And feed me from there
Right into my art
Thank you, Jane,
For being you.
I still sense you when I feel blue
Thank you, Jane,
For being you.
Beautiful poem 💖 🙏🙏🙏🙏❤️xx