I hear that you have a rather odd way

Of showing affection when you are apart

I would not call it odd but just loving

What do you do

We photograph our bums and send the results

To each other via our phones

Is that not a little risky

One of you might send it to the wrong person

I do not think that they would worry as bums

Are pretty commonplace these days

They are seen as objects of humour

How did it start

It started when Jane went to Blackpool

We were missing each other dreadfully

There were no mobile phones in those days

We chatted on the land lines but it seemed distant

And then one morning a letter arrived for me

It has a Blackpool postmark

I opened it and inside found a photograph of Jane

In her bathroom at the hotel

She had covered herself with a pastel towel

But her bare bum was reflected fully in the mirror

It was the nicest gift that I had ever received

As prior to that I had not seen her naked

The message was clear as she was not only

My best friend but was soon to be my lover

Since that date whenever we are apart

We send each other naked bum photographs

Both for a safe journey and a safe return

This morning Jane left for the West Country

And without thinking we shared photographs

I will be meeting Jane in Bath on Sunday

As I am travelling in a couple of days time

We will be staying overnight at a hotel

Before we return to our blue coastal home

As normal I will be reading Browning

And will be using a photo of Jane’s bum

As a decorative bookmark

Jane’s bookmark reads as follows