Funny, how we end our days
With strangers either side in nearby graves
Never met in life, or at least not knowingly
We become the most intimate of friends
Sharing who we were, what we did
Whom we loved, where we lived
Misfortune may have brought us together
But since we were first introduced
By way of spade, rough and gravel-toned
Tempered by the melodious meanderings of a parson
I think we’ve got on rather well
So, don’t be surprised if you hear chatter, amongst the flowers
Or, once in a while a much-needed laugh
For it’s only me and my bedfellows
Who live one metre apart

Kathleen was two weeks before
So, she bedded me in, took the edge off the raw
Told me not to get too upset on visiting days.
If numbers dwindle or the long grass gets longer
A lovely lady, who used to make dresses
And as to her age, she gave me three guesses
But that can’t be hidden as dates are all we are now
Boldly written on brass plaques, or chiselled out on cool marble
But I play along with Kathleen
So, don’t be surprised if you hear chatter, amongst the flowers
Or, once in a while a much-needed laugh
For it’s only me and my bedfellow
Who died two weeks apart

Ken came a month after and needed time
We have that in abundance here, to adjust, realign
Being born in the same decade gave us a footing, common ground
So, it was not long before familiarity thawed the frost
Ken was a family man, with a passion for trains
He tells me about his Father, I just listen in the main,
And then there’s me, piggy in the middle, making the best of things
or, in this scented garden, sadness does pass away
So, don’t be surprised if you hear chatter, amongst the flowers
Or, once in a while a much-needed laugh
For it’s only me and my bedfellows
Who sleep one metre apart.

Basil Humphrey is a professional composer and lyricist who lives in the UK.