Poems for Vanessa
Clare read this poem at the Kew Gardens meeting:
You can shed tears that she is gone,
or you can smile because she lived.
You can close your eyes and pray that she'll come back,
or you can open your eyes and see all that she left.
Your heart can be empty because you can't see her
or you can be full of the love you shared.
You can turn your back on tomorrow and live for yesterday,
or you can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.
You can remember her and only that she is gone,
or you can cherish her memory and let it live on.
You can cry and close your mind, be empty and turn your back
or you can do what she'd want.
Smile, open your eyes, love and go on.
for all of you who were not there - I thought someone more eloquent than i would be able to describe the day - but i think we have all been in the same space of just absorbing and adjusting...
it was a truly magical day of remembering our very special friend - beautiful memories shared, funny photos of many of us from our first year at university looking so young and so innocent, Vanessa's distinctive sloping walk. We shared thoughts and poems, songs and love. We went to the river and placed flowers and floating candles and now a truly positive and beautiful image remains with me
- Clare