My dearest wife, it has been such a long winter,

Hard and bitter, draining the heart and soul of hope.

It has been doubly hard for you, so much sadness,

Almost too much to bear, with the illness of friends,

And frozen pipes, and the children's difficulties,  

Such a long catalogue of woes, you look so tired,  

New lines of care on your face, and fresh streaks of grey  

Staining the golden beauty of your lovely hair.

I am bitterly aware of my shortcomings

As a husband, so often away, leaving you

To cope with the house alone, and worse, so distant  

When I was there, preoccupied with my problems,  

Barely listening to what you had to tell me.

But worse, my love, has been my thoughtless cruelty,  

All too often snapping at you, and the children,

And even rejecting your loving advances,

Pushing you aside, to sob into your pillow,

No longer sure that I even loved you, fearing

I had found another, afraid of losing me.

But now that spring is here, I have made a solemn oath  

To turn over a new leaf, and to give to you

All the devotion and love which I have withheld,  

And which you so richly deserve, poor recompense  

For your constancy and care, and your unswerving  

Love and concern for me, which I have so coldly  

Ignored in my cruel and heartless selfishness.

*****

Spring is here with its happy promise of new life,  

Everywhere we look, new green shoots, the sound of birds  

And the hum of bees pollinating the flowers,

Whose bright colours clothe the reawakening earth

With gladness, lifting our hearts in thankful prayer

For all the goodness and delight that are God's gift,  

Simple things, and yet so much more than worldly goods.  

The return of light and warmth once more to the world  

Has worked its miracle on even my cold soul,

And made me realise what a wonderful gift

I have in you, my long-suffering companion,

My faithful wife who has never over the years

Ceased to love and care for me, honouring the vows  

You made many years ago, until life shall end.

I have resolved to start afresh, vowing henceforth  

To make your happiness my first and my last thought,  

To honour, cherish and tenderly care for you,

To respect and encourage your own fulfilment

As an individual, to speak the truth in love,

But first, to listen to all that you have to say,

No longer closing my ears, and shutting you out.  

Only this way can I break down the barrier

That has gradually grown up between our hearts.  

We are still one, separate personalities,

Yet at the same time, two halves of the same person,  

Thinking the same thoughts, and feeling the same feelings,  

Two parts of one beating heart, truly united,

Never to be parted, forever one in love,

In a marriage made in heaven, eternally joined.

So let us now celebrate the coming of spring,  

Finding a little place where we can be alone,

Free from everyday cares, where nothing can distract,

A cottage by the sea, a place to talk, and laugh,

To find again that wild delight that once we knew,

Running free like children at the dawn of the world,

Singing songs of passion and desire, making love

In the surf without a care, hearts beating as one,

And thus breathe fresh life into our union of souls,

The bright green shoots of new understanding growing

Strong in the sunlight, symbols of rediscovered joy,

And affirmation of the renewal of love.