created for Louise Longson

Louise is another dear, online-only friend. I’ve admired their work for some time and to have got closer to them over the last year is an absolute joy. Us older poets need to stick together for starters, because age is only making us better at expressing our true intent.

Louise is also very active in the poetry community (and hosts an excellent monthly showcase I’ve been lucky enough to participate in. I think there is not nearly enough celebration of this kind of contribution to the overall ecosphere. That needs to change.

Louise has an understated power to her own work that I find really difficult to emulate, but we have given it a swing in this poem.

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Caring Words

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All      that is left to write
are  fresh arrangements
hurt      the stanzas heal

worlds  that swell in size
ideas   uncompromising
it all becomes      so real

funny how        the story
goes to prove      that all
you needed was a page

that's left and writing all
this out   as life    is calm
after  the heart is settled

the place   you built here
where verity     can form
all    that is now held    in

caring                    words.

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Poem copyright S. Reeson © 2026

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Prohibition on Use of Work in AI.

For avoidance of doubt, the Author reserves the rights to this publication. No part of this publication can be utilised or reproduced for the purposes of assisting artificial intelligence technologies. © 2026

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