G WILCE

.
GRAINS OF MEMORY
Gareth Wilce - 14.10.2009
.
Stones of different colours
Strewn at my feet.
(All events in my past).
I wander the shores
And stare out to see
(From first to last).
Watching for containerships
As they scurry on by.
(Take them away).
Feeling the sea breeze in my face.
And sensing the seagulls soar high.
(I wish some would stay)
Dry sand clings to my wet legs
Shine a while, then drop to the ground.
(Where no one else should see).
So I stare out to sea.
Waiting for these grains of memory.
(To fall away from me).
.
"Though lovers be lost, love shall not"

Gillian Ann Wilce
27 June 1940 to 27 October 2011
.
Gareth Ian Wilce
24 November 1965 to 24 January 2010
.
At 9an a month ago my dear wife suffered a Heart Arrest in hospital in Marbella. She remained in coma.
I honoured my promise to Gill and informed her doctors that she did not wish further aggressive revival that would leave her brain damaged.
.
I sat with my beloved whispering the love of her son Mike, her grandchildren Mattis,
Leah and Kaja and all her relatives and friends. A tear ran down her left cheek, but she did not revive. At 10.45 pm
that same evening Gillian suffered another Heart Arrest and died. She was 71.
.
Gill looked so peaceful. She had fought so hard for recovery. Now all the pain and distress of her final years had gone from her face. We were married for fifty years.
I loved her for 55 years and always will. My Gilly was the kindest person I ever met.

Its good to know that friendship is returned.
415 visits have been made to Gillian's Obituaries in "The Barry & District News" and "The Wrexham Leader". Thank you dear friends so much.
.
We spent her last day together in hospital. She made no complaint. Having watched the sunset over Marbella Bay,
Gill looked me in the eye and whispered "Please take me home.
I want to go home".She knew.
I promised that I would soon.
Gilly slept peacefully and never again awoke.
.
At 8am on 31st October 2011
I took my beloved to the little crematorium in the pretty village of Manilva in the hills overlooking the sea and brought her ashes back to her home that same day.
.
After the final breakdown in his Norwegian marriage in 2009
our beloved son Gareth was diagnosed with a Bi-Polar Disorder. His mother cared for Gary daily for two months at our home in Spain and finally in Bergen. Sadly, she could not prevent her son's suicide.
Gill never recovered her own health.
.
Two years ago Gareth spent his 44th birthday with his Mum and the children he loved so much.
He never saw them again.
.
Three months later Gareth sent us his final email. It read simply "I love you." Attached were a hundred poems, charting the course of his terminal illness. He died that same day in Norway in the arms of Leni.
We are so greatful for her loving care.
.
I have posted all my son's poetry on his Obituary sites in "The Wrexham Leader" and
"South Wales Echo". An astonishing 23,144 visits have been made to Gareth's obituaries. Thank you all so very much.
.
A few days ago, on the anniversary of his birthday Nina, Mattis, Leah and Kaja
again placed flowers on Papa's grave. Nina hoped that Gareth and Gill were again doing a crossword together somewhere.
.
"Though lovers be lost love shall not"

"Though lovers be lost love shall not"
.
GILLIAN ANN WILCE, Teacher
27 June 1940 to 27 October 2011
and
GARETH IAN WILCE, Architect
24 October 1965 to 24 January 2010
.
Four weeks ago today, at 9am
on Thursday 27 October 2011
my dear wife Gillian suffered a Heart Arrest in a Marbella hospital. She remained in coma.
.
I honoured my promise to Gill and told her Doctors that she did not wish aggressive revival
leaving her brain damaged.
I sat with my beloved, whispering the love of her son Mike and her grandchildren Mattis, Leah and Kaja and her many friends and relatives.
At 10.45 pm that same evening Gillian suffered another Heart Arrest and died. She was 71.
.
Gill looked so peaceful. All the pain and distress of her final years had gone from her face. We were married for fifty years. I loved her for fifty five years and always will. My Gilly was simply the kindest person I ever met.
.
After the final breakdown in 2009 of his Norwegian marriage,
our beloved son Gareth was diagnosed with a Bi-Polar Disorder. His mother cared for Gary daily for two months at our home in Spain and also in Bergen. Sadly, she could not prevent his suicide.
.
Two years ago today, Gareth spent his final birthday with the children and mother he loved so much.
.
Today, I shall leave a poppy on the beach where Gary liked to stroll with his Mum at her
"technicolour home" and respect their wishes by leaving ashes of my lovely girl at the water's edge on
her beach.
.

.
SPRING IN SEPTEMBER
Gareth Wilce - 15.09.2009
.
There's a spring in my step today.
It's September and the leaves are changing tone.
Winter's drawing in and the birds are flying home.
Still, spring is here for me,
and hopefully will stay.
.
The dark clouds of September
don't close in on me.
Thoughts of the summer gone, are just that, a memory.
Twinkling like stars in my mind.
Happy days, sad days, days of ever kind.
Not something to linger on.
Those days are gone.
.
There's a smile on my face today.
Autumn's here and August's holidays are finished.
Suntans fade away, the grey monotony of work undiminished.
Yet I see all the colours of the day.
.
A patient of a time of my own making.
Patience not to want things that are forsaken.
Bright hues of many nuances.
Something to ponder on,
Now that those sad days are gone.
.

.
LOST
Gareth Wilce - 17.10.2009
.
A ship, far out to sea.
That's me.
A soul, that wanders alone.
I'm home.
A dream, that cannot be met.
I'm that.
A sigh, that's lost in the wind
A joke, that nobody gets.
.
.
"Though lovers be lost love shall not."

.
BURNT AND FLAKED
Gareth Wilce - 21.10.2009
.
Burnt and flaked.
Sun oil baked.
Cooked lobster coloured.
We can't be bothered.
This is what we're here for,
To sit along this golden shore,
To soak up all the sun's rays,
To lie upon the beach for days.
.
.
"Though lovers be lost love shall not."

.
.
THE GIRLFRIEND TO BE
Gareth Wilce - 17.10.2009
.
Blonde or brunette,
Redhead or jet.
Eyes of emerald, blue,
Hazel that too.
Fair skinned or tanned.
City or land.
Short or tall.
Rounded or small.
The girlfriend to be.
The one for me.
Its inside that matters the most.
.
.
"Though lovers be lost love shall not."

.
A WARM AFTERGLOW
Gareth Wilce - 17.10.2009
.
A warm afterglow.
Summer has drawn to an end.
Fond memories of you, my friend
And the things that we know.
The people we met,
On those evenings, now rare.
Together, with the breeze in your hair,
Laughing out loud; getting wet.
I'd like to recall;
Looking back on the season,
Joy, I remember. The reason.
Seizing to moment and all.
.
.
"though lovers be lost love shall not."

.
HOLIDAY
Gareth Wilce - 15.10.2009
.
An itching salty forehead,

Sun bleached hair, and reddened
skin.

Normally a bad hair day,

Ruffled and unkempt, the result of a swim.

A pint at the bar.

Well before happy hour, quiet and far away from the din.

Evening's drawing in.

The day on the beach is wearig thin.

A perfect lazy holiday day.
.

.
SKETCHING
Gareth Wilce - 15.10.2009
.
The smell of acrylic on paper.
The thwack and scrape as the paint goes on.
Half finished sketches, finish them later.
Never to get back to them, that moment has gone.
.
.
"Though lovers be lost love shall not."

.
.
POOLSIDE
Gareth Wilce - 15 October 2009
.
Poolside fun and games.
Kids of all ages behaving the same.
Jumping, diving and splashing around.
Mum's lying on the grass with book in hand,
Not making a sound.
.
.
"Though love be lost love shall not".

.
THE SLUG - Gareth Wilce - 1997
.
The slug is a strange creature
Eating things he really oughtn'ta
Eyes on stalks he slimes his way
And never takes a holiday.
Under stones you'll find him.
Anywhere its wet and dim.
There are few things like a slug
Apart from snails and they are ugh!!!
.
Gareth wrote this poem for his new born son Mattis and sent it to Gill. I shall ask his
three children to leave poppies
at our son's grave in Norway on 24 November his birthday, in memory of both their Papa and the Mum he loved.

'
SMALL FACES
Gareth Wilce - 10.09.2009
.
Small faces that I knew so well
Familiar places.
Ghosts to me know.
.

.
PAM2 - Gareth Wilce - 8.9.2009
.
Care is what the do, its their job.
.
Care is what they give, even when you sob.
.
Into care says the doctor and hand you over.
.
To the staff on the ward who handle you with care.
.
You're in good hands now, day and night long.
.
They listen and care for you,
and nothing goes wrong.
.
.
"Though lovers be lost love shall not."

.
HOPE - Gareth Wilce 19.09.2009
.
A deep sign and there is hope.
Quiet and subtle,
It sneaks into your metal.
Fortifies you to face another day.
With open arms you welcome it all the way
into your heart, where it belongs.
.

THE MOON AND THE SUN
Gareth Wilce - 12.07.2009


The moon and the sun are not enough
To quench my thirst and hunger
for you.
To be away from you
Not kissing not touching and all that stuff.


Gareth sent his Mum a hundred poems on the day of his death
with the simple message
"I love you."

A TOY CAR Gareth Wilce 20.10.09

A toy car buffeted around in the surf.

Being buried and uncovered by wet sand

Someone's going to miss it enough

A little boy at the end of the day

Will look down into his hand

And let out a cry

If it weren't for this stranger
going by.

Gillian received a hundred poems by her beloved son Gareth on the day of his death
24.01.09 with the simple message "I love you."

Jasmine Gareth Wilce 21.10.2009

The scent of the evening
As jasmine takes the air
Invading your senses
Making you glad that you're there.
One part per million
Drifting across the night
One night in a million
Relaxed and feeling alright.

Gareth died in Norway
in January 2009, his mother Gillian in Spain on 27 October.
You are loved so much.