I have owned a colourful plastic mug

Named Monica for many years

She is named after the character in Friends

Monica has travelled all around Europe with me

I tend to use her as my travelling water mug

In the event of a thirst during the night

We are great friends

But she until recently

Had kept a secret from me

It was that she corresponded

With the poet Phillip Larkin

For many years before we met

Being a poet myself this has fascinated me

And we often chat about her correspondence

When travelling on long distance trains