Saving Earth From an Asteroid (28)

The day Smokey was born

Stop all the clocks,cut
off the terlephone,
Prevent the dog from
barking with a juicy bone.

Silence the pianos and
with muffled drum
Bring out the coffin,let
the mourners come.

Let aeroplanes circle
moaning overhead
Scribbling on the sky
the message He is dead.

Put crepe bows round
the white necks of the
public doves,
Let the traffic
policemen wear black
cotton gloves.

He was my North, my
South, my East and West,
my working week and
my Sunday rest.
My noon,my midnight,
my talk,my song;
I thought that love
would last forever;I
was wrong.

The stars are not
wanted now; put out
every one;
Pack up the moon and
dismantle the sun;
Pour away the ocean
and sweep up the wood.
For nothing now can
ever come to any good.

W.H.Auden on the death of his life long lover (a male,as it happens)and for me one of the most movingly beautiful love peoms ever. Knew if I waited long enough round here I,d get the chance to quote it,though hopefully not for a long time yet.