Mary and I lay on the crisp white sheets
Of the bed in our hotel room
There was a small yellow stain
On the sheet
But we did not care
Behind the wall near to the top of our bed
We heard an elevator thunder by
It was rising rapidly
Towards the twenty-eighth floor
The penthouse suite was on the twenty-eighth floor
And I had initially booked it
But had surrendered my booking
To a party of nuns celebrating Easter
Have you ever noticed that if you stare into the television that the table lamp by the window creates a shadow that tricks the eye into believing that a small outbuilding is attached to the wall?
Yeah I have noticed that
Do you not find it strange?
Not really
Hold my hand
I am holding your hand
Hold my hand
I am holding your hand
Hold my hand
I am holding your hand
I rose from the bed and switched the television on
I see that the freedom roads have opened again
They have been open for months
I know
Never close your mind to the many possibilities that exist
Mary was sitting on the edge of the bed
And stroked the crisp white sheets
With her delicate hand
The yellow stain is getting bigger
I can see that
Why was the sheet stained?
Who stained the sheet?
It was stained when you gave it to me
The Queen rose and walked towards the large windows that overlooked her city
Where is my crown?
On the chair in the corner
I cannot let my subjects see me without my crown
I passed the crown to Mary and she carefully placed it on her head
When I died a famous composer created a requiem for me
I was aware of Mr Purcell’s generosity
Did you enjoy it?
No
Why?
Because I was grieving for you
I stood next to my Queen and looked at the breaking day
On the sixth floor of the hotel opposite I saw a woman with a movie camera filming us
Do you realise that we are being filmed by your Lady in Waiting
Yes I asked her to record my visit
But we are lovers and I visit you often
What is your name?
You know my name
Mary removed her crown and lay on the bed
Her Lady in Waiting was still filming us
I climbed on to the bed and placed my hand
On Mary’s pale shoulder
I am with child you know
Yes I can see the disturbance
Hold my hand
I am holding your hand
Hold my hand
I am holding your hand
Hold my hand
I am holding your hand
Hold my hand
I am holding your hand
Mary rang her Lady in Waiting and requested that she ceased filming
Her Lady complied and left the hotel almost immediately
Without the movie camera
Which remained stationary at the window
I admired the design of the camera
Please would you stop writing and hold me
I am holding you
You are writing on my back
What are you writing?
An account of our time together
Hold me
Kiss me
Love me
I will hold you in my arms until the night returns
Sleep my Queen
Mary fell asleep within a few short minutes
I watched the moon as its light created shadows
On her smooth back
The moon in its many phases turned from
cream to orange
from orange to silver
from silver to indigo
I did not witness its crimson phase
As I too succumbed to sleep
During these last hours
Of our time together