I don't remember angels Brian Hooper, February 2006
She used to be vivacious and enchanting,
A smile and she were never far apart,
But fate can deal a cruel blow, and hers the curse of polio
That twisted up her body and her heart.
And now she's little time for smiles and laughter,
Affection's not a thing she often shows;
She's heard it said that give and take's the way to play the game,
But taking's now the only way she knows.
Fifty years of blaming and demanding,
Of playing on the guilt that's rarely heard;
You just don't understand, she says, yes, it's alright for you,
She twists the knife of love with just a word.
And still you come to see her and to cheer her;
You gently wipe her face and smoothe her brow;
I remember when she said she wished that you were never born,
But I don't remember angels until now.
Love is kind and suffers long and patient,
And you have suffered longer than your share;
But when it seems it's all too much, you reach out with a tender touch
And brush aside a wisp of silver hair.
And now she's little time for smiles and laughter,
But she knows that you love her still somehow;
I remember all the times you swore you couldn't take it any more,
But I don't remember angels until now.
She used to be vivacious and enchanting,
A smile and she were never far apart .......
This song was inspired by the sight of my wife feeding her mother in Southampton General Hospital in the last few weeks of her life. That may not seem a particularly songworthy thing to do, but the line “affection’s not a thing she often shows” is something of an understatement, and it was a sight that brought tears to my eyes. The line “love is kind and suffers long and patient” is a very loose quote from 1 Corinthians 13; if you’re not familiar with that passage of Scripture, I can recommend it.
